Skeptics Strike Back

LETA

4☆babbler
Staff
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Image: Commons

Ever since Ufology was young, certain individuals have dedicated themselves to the task of bringing a critical eye to the debate of whether unidentified flying objects (UFOs) merit the aura of canonical truth bestowed upon it by a sector of society they perceive to be uninformed and easily swayed into gullibility. While this perception may not be entirely erroneous, it is evident that the UFO phenomenon also attracts cultured individuals from all walks of life and academic backgrounds.

With the advent of social media, blogs, and other interactive mediums, skeptics have found these new tools at their disposal very useful to inject themselves into every possible nook and cranny where UFOs and other assorted varieties of fringe reside. Once in place, some skeptics deploy their preferred method to combat the perceived ignorance of those around them: debunking.

Over time, several skeptics have risen to notoriety in the field of ufology for their effectiveness in casting doubt on every new piece of purported UFO evidence that emerges. This breed of skeptics is not only well-informed and possessing of a keen intellect along with a sharp tongue, but is also willing and able to perform experiments in order to expose frauds and dissuade the masses from their wayward, unscientific ways.

In this thread, we compile some of the best work by these eminent skeptics in the interest of objectivity. Members are invited to post content they find compelling from online skeptical/debunking sources, as well as their own. Let the debunking commence.
 
A trio of Arizona State University academics weigh in on all the UFO frenzy:

 
Keith Kloor on the prevalency of the UFO phenomenon in our culture:


 
Astronaut Chris Hadfield declares belief in alien visitation "the height of foolishness."

These people are just sad. He says there is no evidence! Is he blind as well as stupid? No proof yet? Sure. But the evidence is everywhere. And his loaded comment about people instantly concluding it is ET. Please thas not even worth acknowledgement. He has nothing.
 
As I said in the other thread I hope we discover one day if aliens are out there and even visiting us. That day will not be soon imho. Nothing major will be revealed in June and life will go on and the people will lose interest in the ufo enigma as has always happened in the past.
Regarding what's truly 'sad' is a large room full of ufo fans who's life revolves around their beliefs in aliens as saviors and believe everyword that people throw out about the 'space brothers'...and believe me I have seen this at UFO conventions I attended many years ago . The simple truth is that the skeptics and scientists are in the mainstream majority and are the ones that those in charge listen to for better or worse. Maybe one day the 'space brothers' will land and usher in a 'new age' (lord knows we need help on this rock...as the middle east has clearly shown us..)...though that didn't happen with my generation either in the 60's who wished for changes also though from a political direction and not ET.
Maybe we should look to each other and stop worrying so much about aliens, gods, and cults of personality.
 
Good post doc, good advice, work on ourselves and perhaps better things will follow. I don't completely agree with some of your generalizations in the middle bit, but thats OK I have been doing a fair bit of generalization myself.

I am not sure it will go away quickly however. Regardless of the content of this report, the pollys have now open admissions of craft of unknown origin buzzing the US and other skies. That has to be taken seriously now. No more weather balloons as a general explanation. That at least isone box that cant be easily closed. And if those reports suggest tech the west does not have, and indeed other countries dont have well that opens other boxes as well. All bullshit aside, you might be right, I am not expecting pictures of roswell out of this :) But I don't think this ones going away any time soon.