The Decline of Ufology: Decades of Fraud, Frustration and Failure?

a reply to: Annee
Exactly I mean all these people who lament never seeing ufos etc are in my humble opinion jut not getting out there into the world enough with a go-pro strapped on at all times. I am going to get some basic affordable gear eventually myself for those moments of which I have had many I need the local environment and whats in it recorded.

a reply to: DelMarvel

I think the information age has in some ways helped to clear away the clutter. If someone sees a UFO they can post a pic or a video on the internet. It can be correlated with other celestial events, rocket launches/orbital decays,military exercises etc. and quickly solved or not as the case may be.

Imagine if the Norway Spiral had occurred in the 70s or 80s.



We would probably not have been able to correlate the information with the Russians as the Cold War was still on. Various UFO magazine might feature a still or two with a very pro-ET slant and the mainstream media would probably not even bother to cover it. Maybe it's not the best of examples but I think you can get where I am coming from.

Of course the information age has hindered us with the sheer volume of crap on sites as well. But at least you can cross examine sources and get a more balanced view than was possible two or three decades ago.

originally posted by: gentledissident
There's going to be fraud in any revelationary subject that is based on hearsay. It's too easy.

There'll be a whole bunch of Turkeys interested in that story coming up to the end of December. This Jesus fellas birthday occurs around then and many celebrate his birth with a traditional meal don't they?

originally posted by: stabstab
a reply to: Annee
Exactly I mean all these people who lament never seeing ufos etc are in my humble opinion jut not getting out there into the world enough with a go-pro strapped on at all times. I am going to get some basic affordable gear eventually myself for those moments of which I have had many I need the local environment and whats in it recorded.

Ok, but my UFO sighting was about 1964.

We were barely in the computer age.

originally posted by: DelMarvel
The biggest, most important factor is that the stimulus for the interesting UFO and encounter reports has left the stage leaving nothing substantial to focus on. With the most intriguing old reports being so
We know have a huge and increasing percentage of the world carrying cell phone cameras/video cameras at all time and yet no convincing images are being produced. (at least none I've seen.)

The Kumburgaz sighting?

Well, U.F.O. = Unidentifiable Flying Object. Ufology is the study of unidentified flying objects. That is how Ufology got started in the first place, there were unidentifiable objects in the sky at one point in history and people began to search for answers. Then people began to assume Extra-Terrestrials were to blame for these objects. Others then began to assume these objects were from our future and traveled back in time to our modern day. Like the guy who touched the UFO in the Rendlesham Forest incident assumed(en.wikipedia.org...). Then other people began to assume these objects were from Top Secret Military/CIA/NSA/Secret Government projects. Then others assumed that the government had no chance in hell at making vehicles as advanced as what had been seen in the past UFO sightings, so they must have had help from Extra-Terrestrials. This help, some people assumed, was a deal with the aliens and the government for the right to abduct humans if they gave them advanced technology. Others assumed that this help came from the government dispatching secret army teams to recover crashed alien UFOs to later reverse engineer the UFOs. Then other's began to assume that there is a huge conspiracy of a government cover-up of the existence of aliens due to the government's fear of if people knew the truth, that there would be utter chaos. Then other people began to assume that Aliens have been visiting us for our entire existence and helped build the Great Pyramids in Egypt and aided other ancient cultures in the past AKA the "Ancient Alien Theory."

Then others began to exclaim they were abducted by aliens, and on top of it all crop circles began to boom into existence in much greater numbers. Then TV shows and movies about aliens such as X-Files/Roswell/Ancient Aliens/Ufo Hunters/Independence Day were be watched by millions. There was an article I read a while back about how during the time X-Files was airing UFO sightings skyrocketed. Also something else that has been really sticking out like a sore thumb, is how much UFO's look more cleaner and more advanced in photos nowadays than the pictures of ones taken in the 60s. Last but not least, the most popular day for a UFO sighting in America to occur is July 4th.

However, aside from my rambling, there are some incidents where I believe they are unshakeable proof that THERE IS something we have no idea who/what is behind. Such as the Phoenix Lights incident (en.wikipedia.org...) or The Battle of Los Angeles incident(en.wikipedia.org...)

So is Ufology waning? yes. Yes it is, due to the fact that people after seeing the word mostly think about aliens instead of unidentified flying objects. Because I'll tell you, debates or discussions centered on popular topics of unobserved phenomena create predictable outcomes such as:
1. The case of the personal video blog. The person speaks about doomsday scenarios, illuminati, bible verses and cryptic meanings in them, they start doing math desperately trying to find incredible "coincidences" (counting letters in names, adding numbers in dates etc..) and other typical things...With this person it is usually obvious that there is truly an underlying mental disorder
2. The case of people trying to sell a book of theirs about the subject/only do interviews for cash/try to profit in any way whatsoever from the subject at hand by trying to relate themselves to it in any sort of way possible. Like the Project Blue Planet, Ancient Aliens, David Wilcock, and others...
3. The case of the people who constantly see things that are just simply not there, desperately trying to make something out of nothing. AKA the videos pointed at the sky where nothing is in sight with them talking about the UFO while recording. Or the videos that always have an intro with their youtube name and cool graphics that last a long ass time only to show a video that is just #.
4. The case of people who not only focus on aliens, but then begin to meander onto topics that are truly bull#. Aliens possibly do exist, don't get me wrong, but these people begin talking about wild ass #. eg. "Welcome to Divine Cosmos, the Official Internet home for the work of David Wilcock. Within this site are thousands of free pages of scientific and spiritual information about soul growth, Ascension and the evolution of consciousness" only using David as an example. There are lots of other kettles that can be called black as well.
5. Then one more case is the person who desperately wants attention, finding something they can completely lie as magnificently as they want about. Artistically crafting and cultivating the lie to the point of perfection, no matter how long it takes to prepare. Then you and a vast amount of others begin to believe the incredible "too good to be true" story that is beginning to spread like wildfire. Then out of nowhere, just as she began making out with you, your hand cups a suspicious bulge on the Jessica Alba look-a-like you just met. Your heart drops, but you continue and take her home anyways. Because honestly, we're all desperate and will take whatever's second best to unattainable. Jessica Alba being a metaphor for an encounter with aliens backed up with solid evidence.

originally posted by: Annee
No one, openly, has confirmed undeniable evidence of the "smoking gun".
There's still Unexplained.

The somewhat frustrating part of the "unexplained" component is that to most people unexplained either means:
* if we had more data, these things/events would be shown to be a result of aliens (however they might be defined), or
* if we had more data, these things would be shown to hoaxes or misinterpretations of something we already know about.

It's very difficult -- although a slow change is happening, as I said -- to get people to just let "unexplained" remain a mystery or a puzzle, with the possibility that as real as it may be, it might be completely unfathomable to us. That's because we like to think of ourselves as smart, scientific creatures who can figure anything out eventually. Sure, we understand certain things about reality, and have objectively verified a lot of strange things. But UFOs suggest that there are big chunks of reality that we don't know anything about..

a reply to: DelMarvel

I've had similar thoughts as well and its no bad thing that people can consider different perspectives without needing to be decisive.

That argument about us 'all having cellphones and cameras in our pockets' is too glib for me. A decent phone has anything around 10mp on the main camera and it'll be garbage for low-light night shots. It's cool that people find certainty in the argument as it's each to their own and the idea isn't total BS.

Maybe there is something about our new technology of instantaneous and widespread transfer of information that is inhibiting the group psychology/spirituality/etc. needed to generate flaps? I'm not saying it's all mass hysteria but if there's some sort of psychological, spiritual or psychic component the bright light of the information age could be inhibiting things.

This is something that has caught my attention for a few years now. If we were dealing with something that had an influence on individual perception, we just weren't equipped to identify or discuss such a thing. It was barely even a concept in those early days when 'interplanetary' was the cutting edge of speculation.

I think there are reports suggesting a 'psychological, spiritual or psychic component' that won't be resolved due to time passed etc. To balance that idea out, we don't know how honest or accurate the reporters were and Occam's Razor would favour the latter explanation.

There's only so far we can go when it comes to discussing possibilities based on sketchy information.

originally posted by: EnPassant
The Kumburgaz sighting?

A lot of that can be chalked up to bad optics in the kludged together video equipment that was being used. A video camera shooting through a hand-held telescope. When the guy got better equipment, suddenly the flying convertible saucers with waving aliens became ordinary boat lights.

In my opinion, it's the sightings where the witnesses report close-up, high strangeness -- where witnesses describe psychic effects and distortions in time and space, and where the UFOs do things that make absolutely no logical sense -- that are more indicative of the hidden layers of reality that we're trying to parse out.

originally posted by: Blue Shift
In my opinion, it's the sightings where the witnesses report close-up, high strangeness -- where witnesses describe psychic effects and distortions in time and space, and where the UFOs do things that make absolutely no logical sense -- that are more indicative of the hidden layers of reality that we're trying to parse out.

I thought the movie Dark Skies captured this well.

originally posted by: mirageman
a reply to: Moresby

All your fancy graphics, and hyperbolic prose, doesn't hide the fact that like all debunkers you're afraid. Afraid the world isn't the ordered little box you want it to be. Afraid somewhere someone (anyone!) challenges your narrow worldview. There are plenty of other frightened people out there who will lap up what you're offering. But you'll never get at your true target. Those who know what they know. And don't need to defend it. And don't need you or anyone else to believe.

I think you've rather misinterpreted the whole OP.

I would have so much more respect for you if admitted your fear. But I know that's hard for people to do.

But it's not hard for anyone who has a basic understanding of human nature to see.

Hopefully, some day you will find better tools to deal with it.

a reply to: Moresby

I would have so much more respect for you if admitted your fear.

But I know that's hard for people to do.

But it's not hard for anyone who has a basic understanding of human nature to see. Hopefully, some day you will find better tools to deal with it.

I see you still haven't grasped it. Never mind.

originally posted by: mirageman
a reply to: Moresby

I would have so much more respect for you if admitted your fear.

But I know that's hard for people to do.

But it's not hard for anyone who has a basic understanding of human nature to see. Hopefully, some day you will find better tools to deal with it.

I see you still haven't grasped it. Never mind.

Keep pretending others don't see your fear. They do.

originally posted by: Moresby

originally posted by: mirageman
a reply to: Moresby

I would have so much more respect for you if admitted your fear.

But I know that's hard for people to do.

But it's not hard for anyone who has a basic understanding of human nature to see. Hopefully, some day you will find better tools to deal with it.

I see you still haven't grasped it. Never mind.

Keep pretending others don't see your fear. They do.

that is your projection. obviously.

What exactly is “concrete proof” of alien visitation? A spacecraft landing on the lawn of a prominent world leader? An alien body on a slab? A fully functional spaceship that crashed and was recovered and then revealed to the public? A full 3 hour video in HD of a sighting?

I suppose if you are expecting that, and only that, as proof, then sure, there has been no “concrete proof” in your world. But personally I feel there has been plenty of proof. It’s a pity that so much eyewitness testimony is disregarded out of hand.

I also think that the number of actual sightings has been fairly static and constant over the years. And scarce. Just because everything electronic seems to have a camera attached, doesn’t mean the scores and hundreds of additional sightings reported somehow negates the legitimate sightings that have occurred. Nor do hoaxers, hacks and greedy liars.

There are a handful of very solid cases.. and if anyone would take the challenge to actually explain them, then perhaps I’d believe otherwise. But whenever a Tehran of 1972 sighting, or a Phoenix lights sighting.. or a rancher in Texas sees a massive UFO over his head, and it goes unexplained.. I see no reason to assume they don’t exist.

Every time I hear someone call out a CGI or a hoaxer or a stupid dot that ends up being a balloon as proof that UFOs don’t exist, I have to chuckle a little. Every time I bring up a more serious case, it just goes unanswered. The last bastion of defense is typically “Well.. must be a black project.” Because it is impossible to prove it isn’t of course, even if that explanation often makes no sense at all.

Believe what you will.. I don’t think UFOs, nor the study of UFOs to be somehow irrelevant now. There are others countries that are calling for open investigations in fact.. it’s not dying away simply because of your personal views on the subject matter.

We are the "aliens" that we are looking for.

Hi mirageman, excellent topic.

The best part for me was presenting the chronology the way you handled it, because it gives the reader a fairly objective point of view in UFO history and how the myth grows, kinda refreshing perspective. A rare and deserved S&F from me.

Now, from the fringe ideas behind the really rare UFO cases, publicly known or unknown, I mostly dig these three ideas - time travel, extra dimensional "shadows" or "things", or a part of the operating system that the Universe might be. Of course, I also accept just as plausible the Black-ops/Human Tech theory (and if you dig deep within this one you'll find it's more startling than the others) and it's also very hard to say that it's not a combination of some or all of the above, just as well.

In any case, for all we know, there have been certain weird things flying in the night sky for a good few decades now and as for ufology being a dead-beat dog, that's true just as much.

And I do have a current-day classic case of what you might refer to a UFO flap that took place between 2008 and 2012 in Central Bulgaria. Oh, and just to state this so I'd make it obvious - I'm not a ufologist, I was just looking for some good ol' answers Nowadays, however, I've had other things to concentrate on in my life and haven't spent time digging much further than what I've already gathered as facts - www.realityuncovered.net...(MODs, if it's not OK to link to another forum, please, snip this one out, either way I'll probably create a thread here as well some time).

And I'm inclined on believing we're having some special human tech that we might be dealing with in this case, since it's most plausible (but just as strange).

Well. Although many frauds have been perpetuated, there is So much relevant history that's not fraudulent, that the phenomena will never be abandon...If anything it will continue to excel as technology advances

Ufo's are like the Seasons and Deer Hunting...Some Years are better than others, but it never ceases to Amaze

When you listen to something like say..



.. unless you can explain it away with something logical.. and not guesswork, then you haven't proved you case that there is no alien visitation. Just as you say OP, that there is no concrete proof.. there continues to be cases that even the most ardent debunkers can't disprove away.

There are probably several dozen very solid cases with no logical explanation. Explain those away, and I'll jump on board your "Ufology is dead!" bandwagon. Until then, it's just your opinion.

P.S. Review the entire case, not just listen to the audio.. there is more to it.

The Condon Committee that was supposedly the final say on the subject of UFOs admitted the 1956 Bentwaters incident (the one before the 1980 incident) was a UFO. Didn't do anything to change their conclusion.

In recent years Fife Symington, the governor of Arizona at the time of the Phoenix Lights incident in 1997 who did a press conference mocking it has admitted he did see a UFO at the time of the event.

The subject is rife with this type of thing. Seemingly hugely credible analysis or reports but nothing else forthcoming.

Clyde Tombaugh, the astronomer who discovered Pluto, reported seeing UFOs on a few occasions. He opined on why the subject wasn't treated more seriously and came to the conclusion his fellow scientists were being unscientific.

It can be one of two things. The subject is entirely nothing yet given an air of credibility from time to time from some political and scientific leaders for no reason, or the credible reports are the canary in the coal mine display of a cover up of UFOs/extraterrestrials. I go with the cover up option.