Many times I have often wondered why it is exactly that I stick around in the realm of Forteania, and especially Ufology. I mean I know the reason why I got into all of this mess in the first place (see my first column of Fortean Ramblings over at Binnall of America entitled 'Origin Story' for more), but why is it that day after day I never get tired of all of the countless shenanigans? Why after so many years do I still find myself listening with renewed interest as yet another explanation is offered for Roswell (follow the link for the latest one)? How come it is that even though it is disappointing, I still sometimes watch the 'lights in the sky' videos that are so often ridiculed on YouTube? Is it because 'I want to Believe'?
Some might say yes this is exactly what is going on. Your friendly neighborhood Closet Anomalist suffers from yet another delusional belief system that causes him to seek proof for the very precepts he holds dear. Well I would like to think that is wrong. Of course it's true that on some level I do have some opinion about theses topics: be they UFO, Ghost, ET, or what have you, because why the hell else would I have a blog or a column over at BOA? (Now is where somebody will likely interject and say, well Tony it's simply because you like to 'hear' yourself talk. Which I guess is true, but it's not the only reason I am doing this damn thing.)
No I would like to think that my intentions are far more noble (who doesn't right?) I want to find out what the ubiquitous 'Truth' is. Now bear in mind that's truth with a capital 'T' of course. Which in my mind would entail finding out just what exactly is behind all of the assorted Fortean phenomenon that I enjoy reading about so much. I would like to think that no matter what the explanations are for the phenomenon, no matter how potentially 'mundane' they may turn out to be, that I would still be willing and able to accept this reality. Take for instance, if somehow one could prove all sightings of unidentified craft spotted by even professional pilots, as nothing more than say some kind of atmospheric hallucination, I would be willing to accept that.
Unfortunately however many players on either side of the fence, be they 'True Believer's' or 'Debunkers', are not willing to have this kind of open and honest dialogue about some arguably bizarre interactions are species has or had with something that many would argue we don't completely understand yet. As I have stated almost ad nauseum at this point, the problems with both groups is that they already have the answers that they are looking for. Which is fine if you are in a religion or a religious group, and that is what these two camps are I would argue. They both have their core set of belief's, or well in the case of the Debunker's 'disbeliefs', that they hold to be self evident. For many of the True Believer crowd, UFOs are ET spacecraft. Whereas for the Debunker's UFOs are misinterpretation of natural phenomenon. But you know maybe, just maybe the answer lies some where in the middle.
Perhaps the phenomenon is comprised of both simultaneously. A pilot spots a UFO (in this sense meaning an artificial craft, that is not just a natural phenomenon), but then the next night sees a strange light in the sky, that turns out to be headlights reflecting off an air pocket or something. The latter by no means invalidates the former. This I think leads ultimately to why I am still here. Why I still put up with the shenanigans, is because I think it ultimately reminds us that we really still don't know everything. And that mystery is certainly enough for me to put up with all of the bullshit that comprises the field of Fortean Phenomena and specifically Ufology.
Some might say yes this is exactly what is going on. Your friendly neighborhood Closet Anomalist suffers from yet another delusional belief system that causes him to seek proof for the very precepts he holds dear. Well I would like to think that is wrong. Of course it's true that on some level I do have some opinion about theses topics: be they UFO, Ghost, ET, or what have you, because why the hell else would I have a blog or a column over at BOA? (Now is where somebody will likely interject and say, well Tony it's simply because you like to 'hear' yourself talk. Which I guess is true, but it's not the only reason I am doing this damn thing.)
No I would like to think that my intentions are far more noble (who doesn't right?) I want to find out what the ubiquitous 'Truth' is. Now bear in mind that's truth with a capital 'T' of course. Which in my mind would entail finding out just what exactly is behind all of the assorted Fortean phenomenon that I enjoy reading about so much. I would like to think that no matter what the explanations are for the phenomenon, no matter how potentially 'mundane' they may turn out to be, that I would still be willing and able to accept this reality. Take for instance, if somehow one could prove all sightings of unidentified craft spotted by even professional pilots, as nothing more than say some kind of atmospheric hallucination, I would be willing to accept that.
Unfortunately however many players on either side of the fence, be they 'True Believer's' or 'Debunkers', are not willing to have this kind of open and honest dialogue about some arguably bizarre interactions are species has or had with something that many would argue we don't completely understand yet. As I have stated almost ad nauseum at this point, the problems with both groups is that they already have the answers that they are looking for. Which is fine if you are in a religion or a religious group, and that is what these two camps are I would argue. They both have their core set of belief's, or well in the case of the Debunker's 'disbeliefs', that they hold to be self evident. For many of the True Believer crowd, UFOs are ET spacecraft. Whereas for the Debunker's UFOs are misinterpretation of natural phenomenon. But you know maybe, just maybe the answer lies some where in the middle.
Perhaps the phenomenon is comprised of both simultaneously. A pilot spots a UFO (in this sense meaning an artificial craft, that is not just a natural phenomenon), but then the next night sees a strange light in the sky, that turns out to be headlights reflecting off an air pocket or something. The latter by no means invalidates the former. This I think leads ultimately to why I am still here. Why I still put up with the shenanigans, is because I think it ultimately reminds us that we really still don't know everything. And that mystery is certainly enough for me to put up with all of the bullshit that comprises the field of Fortean Phenomena and specifically Ufology.
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