Ufology's Fundamental Challenge
Copyright 1998 Joseph Burkes MD
The civilian UFO community often known as "ufology" exists as a multitude of individuals and groups who all share a common interest in the subject of unidentified flying objects. Since 1991 I have shared this passion with other so called "ufologists."
For several years I was closely associated with Dr. Steven Greer's Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence, CSETI. In the course of my activities with that group I had a number of limited interactive encounters with what appeared to be Extraterrestrial spacecraft.
For a number of reasons, personal as well as professional, I have curtailed much of my UFO oriented activities. At this point I would like to offer my observations concerning what I perceive is the fundamental problem in this field and call for a dramatic solution to the crisis in ufology.
It is my assessment that ufology has failed to recognize the importance of how an Extra-terrestrial presence profoundly threatens all terrestrial elites. This includes the international corporate, military, political and religious leaders of our planet. Without recognizing and thoroughly analyzing this challenge to terrestrial power, those interested in understanding the phenomenon of Extraterrestrial spacecraft visiting our planet, will in my opinion be hopelessly confused. More importantly, UFO enthusiasts may have unrealistic expectations and may be wasting important energy in projects that can not bear fruit given the depths of the power structure's opposition to acknowledging an Et presence.
Currently a number of prominent UFO groups are advocating that Congress hold open hearings on the issue of government secrecy concerning Extra-terrestrial spacecraft visiting our planet. Retired military and intelligence officers who have had direct personal experiences with Extra-terrestrial intelligence during their official work have been identified. There is now an opportunity to inform the public, if these official witnesses can be induced to testify. As might be expected the push for public hearings on the topic of the ET presence has encountered resistance. It has been the not too secret hope of many UFO activists that some kind of official disclosure might be underfoot. It is my assessment however that no disclosure will take place without tremendous pressure on the terrestrial power structure, more pressure that can be applied to Congress at the current time. Frustrated by years of official denial, how can UFO enthusiasts work to remedy this predicament? A broad based coalition employing coordinated political action will be an essential part of the disclosure process. This will probably require dozens of organizations and thousands of activists. Such a campaign will probably take the form of the grassroots movements for social change. Models of such efforts include the union organizing drives of the 1930s and the peace and the civil rights movements of the 1960s . To develop such a coalition of individuals and groups, an analysis of the Et challenge to all terrestrial power is required.
Our planet's population is divided into over 100 nation states. National political leaders are able to exercise their power on the basis of nationalism. As the prominent ufologist Stanton Friedman has said, "Nationalism is the name of the game." Once the people of the planet are permitted to acknowledge the ET presence, the masses will tend to see themselves as "terrestrial" or simply "human." Faced with what will likely turn out to be an incredible diversity of ET cultures, people on our planet will likely start to identify with the Earth as a whole rather than with their particular nation state. Thus the power of national politicians would be threatened by admitting that some UFOs represent Extra-terrestrial spacecraft built by non- humans from the stars.
From the point of view of ordinary citizens, an end to nationalism and the realization of the slogan "One planet, one people", might not be tragic at all. Given the sad record of this century, with over 100 million killed in wars resulting from national rivalry, it might make very good sense to place nationalism in the dust bin of history. Of course national political leaders who derive their power from "the people", i.e. their nation's people, would understandably be threatened by an outside presence which undermines their ideological power base.
The Extra-terrestrial presence challenges military leaders of every nation. Advanced civilizations visiting our planet appear to be quite capable of producing craft which can fly circles around the military's high performance jets. Military leaders are thus unable to secure our planet's airspace from ET intrusion. This provides one rationale for the military-intelligence community's role in maintaining the secrecy regimen concerning UFOs.
The Extra-terrestrials appear to have access to incredibly powerful energy systems in order to propel their spacecraft. Speculation within ufology has suggested that their craft use non-polluting so called "free energy systems." If the authorities acknowledged the Et presence and over a period of time our culture were allowed to download such efficient energy technologies, many of our economic as well as environmental problems might be solved. From the point of view of the multinational oil corporations, this would not be a favorable development. The downloading of ET energy systems would likely threaten their worldwide monopoly which has been the source of much wealth and influence for important sectors of the corporate elite. Considering that the Gulf War and other military actions in the Middle East are driven by a hunger for cheap oil, we see the strategic importance of what has been called the "empire of oil." Thus the Et presence threatens important sectors of the economic elite of our planet.
An important pillar of our planet's belief systems is organized religion. The true history of our planet may reveal that the flying saucer phenomenon is really an ancient process rather than a modern one. Renaissance religious painting depicting flying saucers certainly suggest this possibility. The myths of ancient civilizations declaring that their knowledge and technology were obtained from so called "star people", provides additional support for ancient astronaut theories. What if the holy men and prophets of biblical times were in reality contactees? Their religious experiences may have reflected encounters with non-human intelligence, some of which might have been Extra-terrestrial in nature. If this theory were indeed true or even merely probable, then acknowledging the Et presence would threaten all organized religion. Thus the spiritual elite of our planet is threatened by the Et presence.
If this analysis accurately reflects the perceived self interest of our planet's elites, then the Extra-terrestrials visiting our planet must threaten all terrestrial power. The world wide secrecy campaign concerning UFOs can now be seen as the logical consequence of ruling classes that appropriately take action in self defense. This need not be seen as a conspiracy. Efforts to deny the Et visitations, to resist public disclosure is the natural response of any social system attempting to preserve the status quo.
In the course of human development, both evolutionary and revolutionary historical trends can be seen. The creation of Christianity out of Judaism can be viewed as the creation of a revolutionary force which spread monotheism across the planet. The Roman Empire cognizant of the challenge, violently suppressed the new religion which placed an almighty God over the emperor.
The acceptance of an all-powerful and ethical God by this planet's peoples has done much to promote their welfare. Concepts such as the rule of law and social justice, as well as the ending of human sacrifice and slavery, all have their moral roots in that wave of revolutionary monotheism which swept our planet during the first millennium of the common era.
In a similar fashion, the rule of both kings and political despots has been ended by the democratic revolutions of the 17 th through 20 th centuries. The old regime never gives up without a fight. Indeed the struggle for democracy continues to this day. It is therefore only natural the Earth's ruling elites will combat what some might perceive as the ultimate threat. As long as the Extra-terrestrial visitors spare us undeniable displays of their physical presence, indirect means can be employed to maintain the status quo. This includes the ridicule of witnesses and the suppression of credible reports of encounters. Direct violent confrontations may also be taking place to meet the Et challenge. If retired Army Lt. Col. Philip Corso, author of "The Day After Roswell", is to be believed, covert military actions against Et craft are taking place.
Corporate control of the mass media has been used to relegate reportage on UFOs to tabloid formats that trivialize this important subject. Security oaths under national security regulations are employed to silence credible military witnesses of UFO encounters. Ufology itself in my opinion is a likely target for disinformation spread by special sections of the intelligence services authorized to deal with the UFO subculture. It is only reasonable to assume that when threatened, terrestrial power will defend itself. These efforts will likely continue in the future.
The creation of a citizens' network to challenge the existing regimen of secrecy and denial, will by necessity be a difficult and prolonged struggle. There will be the need for accelerating the educational process to alert the public of the reality of Extra-terrestrial spacecraft visiting our planet.
One of most important factors in this equation is the actions of the Extra-terrestrials themselves. For reasons that are only known to them, they have chosen not to impose on our culture irrefutable displays of their physical presence. Although the tempo of sightings and other types of human-Et interactions appears to be accelerating, it seems likely that the proverbial "landing on the White house lawn" will not occur any time soon. It may never take place.
Rather than passively waiting for the power structure to acknowledge the reality of Et spacecraft visiting our planet, those who feel passionately about this issue should be prepared to take action. Non- governmental organizations have a long tradition of finding innovative solutions to important problems. As a former peace activist from the 1960s through the 1980s I recall the slogan, "When the people lead, the leaders will follow."
The most central problem for such a movement is what is the nature of the Et presence. This is perhaps the most divisive question for those most interested in the flying saucer phenomenon. Is their presence good, bad, or indeterminate at the present time? Dozens of popular theories abound. It seems likely that no consensus will emerge in the near future.
The alien abduction proponents assert that humanity is being victimized by the extra-terrestrial visitors. Opposing this camp are a constellation of contactee groups who would have us believe that the Et presence is positive. The vast majority of UFO witnesses, like the general population, simply don't know what to make of the phenomenon. As writer and UFO experiencer Whitley Strieber has pointed out, " the only thing consistent about this phenomenon is that it consistently strange."
This lack of consensus is a major impediment for establishing a movement to pressure the authorities to deal with the Extra-terrestrials. Successful mobilizing will likely require large numbers of individuals who share a common view as to what the Extra-terrestrials have in store for us. From an organizers perspective, there are inherent difficulties in the alien abductionist position. It is hard to organize people who identify themselves as victims. Their psychological needs for healing take precedent over other activities.
The contactee paradigm is certainly a more hopeful one. Activists will more likely fight in a protracted political campaign if they believe their efforts will result in a better world. Although it appears to be a long shot, I believe that some kind of assistance for humanity is possible from advanced civilizations visiting our planet. It was this upbeat notion which initially attracted me to Dr. Steven Greer's CSETI. Despite my team's extremely limited success in drawing Et spacecraft into our research sites, I still am very supportive of concept "human initiated close encounters" as embodied by Greer's "Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind Initiative."
For the contactee movement to actually get off the ground and facilitate face to face encounters with Extra-terrestrials, a qualitative change in the human-Et relationship is required. There will need to be more clarity, consistency and absolutely more equality in future interactions. As the general awareness of the Et presence increases within our culture, the social pressure for concerted action will correspondingly rise. Eventually our planet's elites will be compelled to openly reply to this challenge to power. For the sake of future generations, let us hope that their response will be a peaceful one.
Joseph Burkes, MD
Cosmic Peace
by Joseph Burkes MD
Copyright 2004
A phantom has appeared in the skies of Earth. It is the specter of Unidentified Flying Objects. On the slopes of volcanoes in Mexico, over US ballistic missile bases, in the vicinity of large cities as well as in remote locales, unearthly crafts have been observed by millions. Who is piloting these strange vehicles? Are they visitors from other planets? If so, then what is their mission? Are they friends or foes? No one has definitive answers for the many questions about the UFO experience.
A growing number of people find the Extra-terrestrial explanation the most reasonable answer to the UFO question. Acceptance of this explanation is growing despite the recognition that many sightings are attributable to other phenomena. Honest skeptics, as well as prejudiced, self- styled debunkers would have us believe that all structured crafts that appear to defy the laws of nature, are nothing more than advanced terrestrial military craft. Considering the skeptics' pronouncements, the UFO phenomenon is quite robust. The number of close encounters with true unknowns continues to increase. Sightings of unearthly craft, appearing as flying golden globes, saucers and triangles persist, in defiance of the debunkers.
From 1992 till 1998, I was closely associated with Dr. Steven Greer's Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence, (CSETI). While participating with his group, I had a number of limited interactive encounters with what appeared to be extra-terrestrial spacecraft. Further, my fieldwork with individual contactees has demonstrated to me that consciousness-mediated, i.e., mind to mind interaction, is a mode of communication with non-human intelligence. I have worked with a number of credible investigators who have quietly described direct, face to face encounters with non-human beings of presumed et origins. For some witnesses to the UFO phenomenon, the extraterrestrial hypothesis approaches the level of certainty. During my years with CSETI I counted myself among this group of believers.
The reactions of terrestrial elites, governments, scientific and religious authorities have been sadly predictable and not very enlightened. I believe the current Et presence profoundly threatens all terrestrial power, including the international corporate, military, political and religious leaders of our planet.
Without irrefutable evidence that the Extra-terrestrials are here, our leaders have simply attempted to ignore their presence. A de facto policy of denial of the Et visitations has been in effect for half a century. Witnesses to the extra-terrestrial presence are routinely subjected to ridicule in an attempt to discredit their reports and secure their silence.
Sadly, within the civilian UFO research community, harrowing tales of routine abuse by of non-human beings are being promulgated. The so-called, "alien abduction" experience is the focus of much investigation by sincere private citizens. The bizarre nature of these accounts prompts many to question the reality and veracity of these stories. Most UFO investigators lack the scientific research tools and financial resources to adequately study this truly anomalous phenomenon.
Volunteer investigators often can not provide professional counseling for witnesses who claim to have experienced psychological trauma at the hands of non-human beings. A popular mythology has emerged. Frightful tales portray humanity as the helpless victims of an onslaught of "alien abductors". On the pages of scandal sheets, in sci-fi horror films and on tabloid television, fear of the unknown is exploited to promote xenophobic, racist and militaristic fantasies in response to what appears to be a going Extra-terrestrial presence.
Under the current conditions of general societal denial, the predominant human response to sightings has been passive. The UFO literature is rife with accounts describing how those observing et crafts make no attempts to interact with the intelligence piloting these strange vehicles. The responses of passive amazement, and/or fear of the et presence, are not the only possible human responses.
Individuals and small groups with a more active and optimistic approach to the Ets have taken the daring step of deliberately inviting contact and developing a sustainable relationship. As a result of these efforts, numerous encounters with extra-terrestrial spacecraft have been documented in the course of fieldwork. A smaller number of human initiated close encounters with Extra-terrestrial Biological Entities (EBEs) also has been described.
One example of such an effort is the extraordinary work of the group known in the past as Mission Rama. Founded in 1974, in response to the contact experiences of Sixto Paz Wells and his coworkers in Peru, for more than two decades Rama has quietly facilitated human-initiated close encounters for thousands of people. The result has been the creation of a worldwide network of contactees promoting spiritual development and interplanetary solidarity and peace.
Another organization seeking positive interactions with the Extra-terrestrials is the Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence(CSETI). Founded in 1990, by the North Carolina physician Steven Greer, it has carried out a campaign to initiative contact called the CE-5 Initiative. The designation CE-5 stands for Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind, which is the term CSETI has coined to describe human-empowered contact with the Extra-terrestrials. The CE-5 Initiative openly deploys teams of UFO researchers to secure locations at night. There, Dr. Greer and his followers attract anomalous structured craft for limited, peaceful interactions. As a former coordinator of a CSETI working group, I will testify to the efficacy of Greer's approach to initiating limited contact with non-human intelligence of a presumed Extra-terrestrial nature.
Unfortunately, these preliminary attempts at civilian diplomacy are not the only examples of humans interacting with Et visitors to our planet. Mounting evidence indicates that secret military programs focusing on the UFO presence are also underway. Initially, these covert groups probably worked under government auspices. Today, informed sources report that private defense contractors now play a predominant role.
CSETI Director, Steven Greer has reported meeting with many retired military and intelligence officers who allegedly have been involved with the UFO phenomenon as a result of their work. He has publicly described a December 1993, private briefing with then CIA Director Woolsey.
In the May 1994 CSETI Newsletter Dr. Greer wrote:
"I have reached the tentative conclusion that virtually all of the U.S.'s elected and appointed officials, including the President and Cabinet members, are "out of the loop" on this subject. This is an informal opinion based on significant meetings with relevant and knowledgeable people. The identity of the individuals or groups spearheading this effort, both in the United States and internationally, remains a mystery. Still, we have a good idea of the nature of this group. It is probably:
1. Multi - National
2. Multi - Agency
3. Quasi - Governmental
4. Quasi - Private
5. Extraordinarily Secret
If this hypothesis true, then it is reasonable to assume that:
1. The President of the United States, the Cabinet and perhaps even the Joint Chiefs of Staff may not be able to disclose anything on this subject, since they probably do not have access to the real information. Even if they ask, I am not at all confident that they would be told the truth, if anything at all; and
2. Those controlling this subject may do so without any legal, constitutional or moral authority. This would be true both in the United States and abroad."
It appears more than possible that "those controlling this subject" may be covertly directing military action against the Extra-terrestrials assets that manifest as UFOs. In his 1998 book, "Confirmation", author Whitley Strieber analyzes a controversial NASA videotape made on the space shuttle Discovery during mission STS-48. This video has been featured several times on national television. It displays what appears to be unidentified flying objects being fired upon by some sort of particle beam weapon. The incident transpired on September 15, 1991. The Discovery was flying near Australia, approximately 1500 miles northwest from a secret US military base located at Pine Gap near Alice Springs. Strieber details a thorough analysis of the videotape by physicist Dr. Jack Kasher and imaging specialist Dr. Mark Carlotto. They conclude that the tedious explanations provided by NASA are simply not credible.
Support for the notion that covert military forces are fighting a secret war against the Extra-terrestrials also has been provided by Philip Corso, a retired US Army Colonel and author of the controversial book, "The Day After Roswell." Corso was a former staff member of President Eisenhower's National Security Council. He worked under General Trudeau at the Army's Research and Development Division's Foreign Technology desk. In "Day After Roswell", Corso alleges that he passed out pieces of the wreckage of a crashed UFO to high tech firms. This supposedly allowed advanced alien technology to be analyzed and then integrated into our industrial culture.
After the publication of his book, Philip Corso quickly became a celebrity within the flying saucer subculture. Sadly, few UFO experts criticized his openly bellicose response to the Et presence. He writes,
"These creatures weren't benevolent alien beings who had come to enlighten human beings. As long as we were incapable of defending ourselves, we had to allow them to intrude as they wished. ... We hid the truth and the EBEs(Extra-terrestrial Biological Entities) used it against us until 1974 when we had our first real shoot-down of an alien craft over Ramstein Air Force base in Germany."
It is virtually impossible to verify the particulars of Philip Corso's account. In "Day after Roswell", he does not offer the names of others who might corroborate his version of the events described. On July 16, 1998, at the age of 83, he reportedly died from a heart attack.
As a former peace movement activist, I find Philip Corso's extremist views chilling. Still, I suspect that his perspective on the Et-human relationship has great value. It is my suspicion that Corso's bellicose posture may provide us with insight into the thinking of a very important group, the wing of military-industrial complex that will likely try to use disclosure of the Et presence to unleash a new cold war.
After the downfall of the Soviet Union, defense expenditures were expected to decrease dramatically. The good fortune of some of the most economically powerful and politically influential weapons based corporations was threatened. The war on terrorism has changed all that. In the current political atmosphere, I fear that any disclosure of a probable Et presence will be used to fuel xenophobia and to precipitate an ever more costly arms race against a new adversary. The non-human intelligence that likely is responsible for many aspects of the UFO phenomenon.
Open war with advanced Et civilizations is an extremely remote possibility given the likelihood that UFOs are an ancient phenomenon. Extra-terrestrials have probably been here for centuries, if not millennia. If Extre-terrestrials were planning aggressive action against humans, then why wait so many years before mounting an open attack? By passing a test of time, their non-threatening posture has been repeatedly been strongly suggested.
If disclosure of an Et presence was suddenly made today, then defense corporations, along with their military and political allies, would probably use such a revelation for their own narrow interests. They would intensify and accelerate the " Star Wars" program. I imagine the slogan, "We must negotiate from a position of strength," would be featured prominently in the congressional sales campaign for more space based weapon systems. A trillion dollars might be needlessly spent to prepare us to battle an enemy we could never truly fight. On a planet where some 10 million children every year die from hunger and preventable disease, squandering our limited economic resources on such weaponry would be tragic.
How can socially responsible citizens respond to the potential threat of an arms race against the extra-terrestrials? As long as there is widespread societal denial of the UFO phenomenon, political action will be difficult. Fortunately, ideas are changing. Ever increasing numbers of people are sighting anomalous craft and experiencing other types of contact. There is a greater acceptance of the Et hypothesis. Government secrecy and press ridicule are no longer potent weapons against the credibility of UFO witnesses. Recent polls confirm this shift in public opinion and perception.
Still, the risks of conflict are ever present, as long as the planet's elites are unwilling to adequately prepare humanity for the inevitable disclosure of the non-human-intelligence responsible for UFO experiences. The situation is even more dangerous because these elites have not reined in the militarists who are planning, and if Philip Corso is correct, even fighting a secret war against what they believe is an Extra-terrestrial presence.
To help prevent war and hopefully usher in a new era of interplanetary cooperation, the creation of a new kind of peace movement is required. The new paradigm acknowledges an Extra-terrestrial presence that appears increasingly likely. A massive people's movement to resists the social forces that are fanning the flames of war might encourage more direct contact with an Et presence. This movement in my opinion will require a strong spiritual base. The realization that we are not alone compels humanity to ask, "What then is our true place in the universe?" This question has far-reaching religious implications that must be addressed by those promoting cosmic peace.
The new movement will traverse the path cleared by pioneering groups like Rama and CSETI, as well as other networks of contactees. Individuals who affirm that they have experienced positive, enduring relationships with non-human intelligence, will play a prominent role in the cosmic peace campaign. These contactees' direct personal bonds with the alleged Extra-terrestrials, may appear quite bizarre at present. Hopefully, they will serve as examples of how humanity may coexist, and perhaps even prosper, within the context of a positive Et-human relationship. A new internationalism could emerge, based on the realization that here on Earth we are truly one people, living in one homeland.
Does this sound too idealistic? Consider the facts of our recent history. Humanity is facing a constellation of man-made problems that threaten the very existence of life on our planet. Global environmental destruction from pollution is becoming an increasingly probable end point as the atmosphere heats up with the release of greenhouse gases. Nuclear proliferation will continue as long the great nuclear powers do little to reduce their stockpiles of nuclear weapons. Without a robust program of nuclear disarmament, it is likely that these instruments of genocide will be used during the coming decades. We should never forget that some 100 million people have died from war, revolution and the resultant famines during this century alone. Regional wars continue across the globe, threatening to spark yet another worldwide, military conflagration.
I urge those who insist that Extra-terrestrials are a potential enemy should consider this premise. Preconditions for any culture to become star-farirng, likely include conditions of enduring peace and ethical development far beyond anything accomplished on Earth. The enormous energy required to move between stars, if used for military purposes, would likely cause a civilization to self-destruct in a short period of time. So, if a race of intelligent beings has survived long enough to be able to arrive here, then they are probably wise enough to live in peace, not only with us, but with other civilizations they might encounter while traversing the sea of stars.
Current UFO literature provides some support for the notion that "aliens" are friendly. A growing number of individuals claim to have experienced Close Encounters of the Third and Fourth Kinds. These witnesses often describe different races of EBE's working together, cooperatively, on the same alien spacecraft. To accept the hypothesis that Extra-terrestrials are not harmful, most of the "alien abduction" literature must be discounted. At this time few UFO enthusiasts are willing to take such a difficult, controversial and divisive step.
My personal view is that by acknowledging the Et presence, we can promote new hope for a better future here on Earth. I see the benefit of accepting the reality of Extra-terrestrial visitations as primarily an ideological one. After all, our planet is beset by what appear to be unsolvable problems. If these so called "aliens" have survived their own dark times, perhaps similar to those we currently face, then maybe we too can survive and prosper. If they can curb self-destructive tendencies and travel to distant solar systems, then perhaps we too can make it to the stars!
It is extremely unlikely however that Extra-terrestrials will save us from ourselves. Similarly, in the opinion of many observers, is it unlikely that they will seriously harm us. As Dr. Steven Greer in his many lectures has pointed out, "The Ets are neither Dar Vadar nor Jesus Christ in a spaceship." Humanity will have to overcome its own problems by exercising wisdom, compassion and a fierce determination to survive. This is our promise.
This optimistic, encouraging message is particularly important for the current generation of youth. So often they experience a sense of hopelessness when threatened with what appears to be insurmountable social, economic and environmental problems. To Earth's young people, the realization that they are not alone in the universe, may inspire them to join a campaign promoting interplanetary peace and cooperation. Youths already exhibit a tremendous interest in UFO phenomena. If a link could be made between the Et presence and the ongoing struggles to save humanity from its self-destructiveness, then the resulting movement could change the course of history. There is much work to be done!
This position paper is the first in a series of documents. It outlines the parameters of a future movement for cosmic peace, solidarity and cooperation. For persons interested in this subject, the web sites of CSETI and Rama offer additional information. As always, I welcome dialogue on this important topic and eagerly anticipate email correspondence.
Sincerely,
Joseph Burkes, MD
In the UFO/truth movement there are few leaders, mostly celebrities.
In the paper “Role of a Power Structure Analysis in Ufology” I put forward the proposition that the Et presence threatens all terrestrial power, military, economic and religious. If true then the de-facto secrecy campaign and the ridicule of UFO witnesses is the logical results of elite forces acting to maintain the status quo. I proposed the creation of a mass movement to work for disclosure. A campaign that hopefully will represent the interests of the majority of people on this planet, rather than those of elite groups primarily focused on defending hegemony by denying what appears to be an Extra-terrestrial presence. The risks of creating such movements are numerous, perhaps the most daunting is its susceptibility to co-optation by corrupt leaders. Those who would eagerly use “the power of the people” for selfish purposes.
This certainly has been the familiar pattern of the radical left and right movements of the 20th Century. Whether fascist or communist, the sad legacy of charismatic leaders has been monstrous wars and savage political purges resulting in the death of millions of innocents.
In order to minimize the damage done by corrupt leaders, such a proposed campaign will need to incorporate strong spiritual values into its program. This became even clearer to me after the draft of the “power structure analysis” was first circulated on the Internet in the Fall of 1998. I soon received a number of reponses that emphasized the spiritual issues posed by allegations of ET spacecraft visiting Earth. One letter in particular asked the question is our involvement with this issue “to serve others”, or is it “to have others serve us.”
As applied to the leadership crisis in ufology the absence of an ethic “to serve others” leads to a host of problems. A number of observers have complained about the back stabbing and egoism exhibited by prominent investigators. To a certain extent such attitudes are driven by the market forces in the cottage industry environment created by ufology. Here the ethic of “have others serve us” is manifest.
Those UFO experts who are compelled to work “the meat and potatoes” circuit of Expos and book signing sessions, are all struggling within a rather small marketplace. In a field rife with uncertainty, they, the “experts” must appear to the “ones who really know.” Otherwise why would anyone bother to listen to them and buy their wares. Since an essential part of sales must be appearing to “stand on the cutting edge,” UFO leaders must constantly come up with new and exciting information about, and solutions to, this mystery. The need to appear better than one’s fellows, and to attack the competition, feeds the tendency towards shameless personal attacks.
There are however more profound sources for the egoism which cuts a destructive path across ufology. In my opinion more potent than economic competition are the psycho-social factors. Let’s face it, ufology has been relegated to the fringe by the powers that be. For any self respecting professional to profess an interest in subject so marginal, is to risk loss of social standing. Very powerful emotions experienced during normal child development may come into play here.
Our susceptibility to shame starts off during childhood. During early emotional development, frustration about one’s relatively helpless condition, coexists side by side with the growing need to be accepted by other children. Being “small” and not being able to do what the “big kids” do is a constant theme throughout childhood. Teasing and being excluded by older children is a harsh lesion we all must experience.
I believe that every individual must carry these concerns over into adulthood. The social sentiments of the mainstream culture are such, that to simply profess an interest in UFOs, often triggers smirking from friends and co-workers. Much is at stake psychologically. To become a leader in ufology ups the ante considerably and the risks of social ridicule are nearly certain.
In order to stand against the currents of the dominant culture that dismisses ufology as terminally kooky, an individual must surely have a strong sense of self. I believe it requires a determined and hopefully healthy ego, to openly defy conventional wisdom. This force of conviction flowing from ego, in its most extreme form, can become transformed into a sense of self righteousness. This tendency to become self-righteous, unfortunately in many ufologists, results in self-aggrandizement and egoism.
Economic sacrifice and even hardship are often the rewards of trying to “make it” as a professional ufologist. The difficult economic conditions make for frustration, anger, perhaps even bitterness in some individuals. If a ufologist can’t receive payment in real money, then perhaps a salary in “ego dollars” might suffice. Real dollars are of course the preferred compensation. In the UFO field unfortunately there are few enough to go around. Thus many researchers I suspect, demand ego gratification as a substitute for financial reward. The personal attacks rampant in the field, are in my opinion the products of those who seek ego gratification at expense of others. In-fighting and the mud slinging which abound in ufology, should therefore be viewed as the logical outcome of a group of researchers who have been marginalized by a larger society. They sadly vent their frustrations on one another.
This analysis is rather preliminary, but I hope it provides a framework for a more detailed investigation of the psycho-social causes of the leadership crisis in ufology. My concerns are more than theoretical. It is my sincere hope that we can create a mass movement to work towards disclosure of the ET presence. To do so will require a great number of enlightened leaders. Individuals who are able to work together cooperatively and hopefully minimize the destructive effects of egoism. Here again their is much room for exploring the spiritual/ ethical dimension. I ask again whether we struggle to serve others, or do we attempt to compel others to serve us? It is my hope that this future crusade will be based on the high principle of altruism combined with honesty and humility. A tall order no doubt! Only time will tell whether ufology is up to the challenge.
“Truth comes in three phases. First it is ridiculed, then it is violently opposed, and then it is declared to be self-evident. “
JB MD
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