Belief in alien visitation is now gaining 'unprecedented traction'

[UM-Bot]

More and more people are subscribing to the belief that UFOs are evidence of extraterrestrial visitors.

https://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/380877/belief-in-alien-visitation-is-now-gaining-unprecedented-traction

[Hazzard]

From the same link...

People are more likely to accept weak evidence or fall prey to optical illusions if they support preexisting beliefs.

Anyone, including pilots and intelligence officers, can be socially influenced to see things that aren’t there. Research shows that hearing from others who claim to have seen something extraordinary is enough to induce similar judgments. The effect is heightened when the influencers are numerous or higher in status. Even recognized experts aren’t immune from misjudging unfamiliar images obtained under unusual conditions.

https://theconversation.com/why-people-tend-to-believe-ufos-are-extraterrestrial-208403

 

 

1947 – a "golden year" for sightings following the Roswell incident – a UFO was not automatically linked with alien life.  

"Yet now, it would be the automatic go-to explanation for many people," he said, even though ufologists themselves knew that the vast majority of sightings had a "mundane explanation". People liked the more exciting explanation, he added. 

https://theweek.com/science/belief-in-UFOs-aliens

 

 

 ...in the 2017 Navy video, the UFO appears as a cylindrical aircraft moving rapidly over the background, rotating and darting in a manner unlike any terrestrial machine. Science writer Mick West’s analysis challenged this interpretation using data displayed on the tracking screen and some basic geometry. He explained how the movements attributed to the blurry UFO are an illusion. They stem from the plane’s trajectory relative to the object, the quick adjustments of the belly-mounted camera, and misperceptions based on our tendency to assume cameras and backgrounds are stationary.

West found the UFO’s flight characteristics were more like a bird’s or a weather balloon’s than an acrobatic interstellar spacecraft. But the illusion is compelling, especially with the Navy’s still deeming the object unidentified.

https://www.skeptic.com/reading_room/gimbal-video-genuine-ufo-or-camera-artifact/ 

 

 

Edited September 16 by Hazzard

[Cho Jinn]

More people, more cameras....and unfortunately more drones, hoaxers, and people sure that they are swamp gas and/or Jupiter.  Eventually, the industrial strength skepticism - usually, narcissism masquerading as authority - converts into ascientific dogma.  Those types should instead be open-minded (curiously, they are often extremely open-minded when it comes government mandated anything, because, you know, bureaucrats have our best intentions in mind) and less scared.

 

[papageorge1]

I am one of the believers. Way too much evidence from different angles to not believe IMO. The rise of cable TV and the internet, experiencers and whistleblowers has gotten the public more informed.

Actually, I am surprised the belief is not higher in the general population, but I predict it will be in the coming years.

[Trelane]

Belief unsupported by verifiable information is dangerous, no matter what the subject is. 

Again, anecdotal information is not verifiable evidence. People see, record or encounter things all the time. However, when items are subjected to scientific analysis and investigative scrutiny, the claims of extraterrestrial visitation crumbles. The search continues (I guess).

[Hazzard]

29 minutes ago, papageorge1 said:

Actually, I am surprised the belief is not higher in the general population, but I predict it will be in the coming years.

People are more likely to accept weak evidence or fall prey to optical illusions if they support preexisting beliefs.

[papageorge1]

35 minutes ago, Hazzard said:

People are more likely to accept weak evidence or fall prey to optical illusions if they support preexisting beliefs.

True, but many of us became believers because of the evidence and not because we just started with preexisting belief.

[Hazzard]

14 minutes ago, papageorge1 said:

True, but many of us became believers because of the evidence and not because we just started with preexisting belief.

Thats fine, but this is where logic, reason and a dose of skepticism comes in. How to evaluate the evidence. What are the logical fallacies.. etc

Because without a good screen you get all sorts of weird bugs.

[papageorge1]

14 minutes ago, Hazzard said:

Thats fine, but this is where logic, reason and a dose of skepticism comes in. How to evaluate the evidence. What are the logical fallacies.. etc

Because without a good screen you get all sorts of weird bugs.

I can agree with that.

[Trelane]

1 hour ago, papageorge1 said:

True, but many of us became believers because of the evidence and not because we just started with preexisting belief.

You can't really say that. You can only speak for yourself in this instance. Conversely the same for skeptics and their beliefs.

[astrobeing]

More people believe ridiculous conspiracy theories than ever before. Coincidence?

[Hazzard]

2 minutes ago, astrobeing said:

More people believe ridiculous conspiracy theories than ever before. Coincidence?

Social media is a powerful thing.

Especially combined with peoples distrust in the (US) government.

[Dejarma]

40 minutes ago, astrobeing said:

More people believe ridiculous conspiracy theories than ever before. Coincidence?

some insist a man can become a 'real' woman & have babies. the world is going crazy. it's always been crazy so let's say 'even more' crazy 🤷‍♂️

[Hazzard]

1 hour ago, Dejarma said:

some insist a man can become a 'real' woman & have babies. the world is going crazy. it's always been crazy so let's say 'even more' crazy 🤷‍♂️

The world in this case being Murica!!

I have never heard anyone outside of the US play that crazy game.

Hearings about aliens and gender, I meen WTF is going on over there!??

[MrAnderson]

8 hours ago, papageorge1 said:

True, but many of us became believers because of the evidence and not because we just started with preexisting belief.

If you have a sighting for example like thr one I had then you don't become a believer but you have the experience and knowledge of what you saw. Very different to religious beliefs. Even without the sighting the amount of evidence for the existence of UFOs is so overwhelming that there is no doubt these object are real and the phenomenon real and serious.

[MrAnderson]

5 hours ago, Dejarma said:

some insist a man can become a 'real' woman & have babies. the world is going crazy. it's always been crazy so let's say 'even more' crazy 🤷‍♂️

I will agree with you that what they have said it's crazy and it's part of some weird political games usually coming from a certain part of the ideological spectrum. On the other hand alien visitation is possible no matter how impossible looks to some people. Men who can become women and give birth it's clearly impossible. There is no comparison between these two 'beliefs'.

[papageorge1]

41 minutes ago, MrAnderson said:

Even without the sighting the amount of evidence for the existence of UFOs is so overwhelming that there is no doubt these object are real and the phenomenon real and serious.

Try telling that to the mostly skeptical crowd here.

[MrAnderson]

1 hour ago, papageorge1 said:

Try telling that to the mostly skeptical crowd here.

We have discussed it several times and most have admitted the phenomenon is real but they don't accept the possibility some of these objects could be of alien origin. That's fine and it's a personal opinion. You or anyone else shouldn't be concerned what some skeptics on this site believe or don't believe. You have your own mind and ideas and that's what counts the most.

Edited September 17 by MrAnderson

[papageorge1]

28 minutes ago, MrAnderson said:

We have discussed it several times and most have admitted the phenomenon is real but they don't accept the possibility some of these objects could be of alien origin. That's fine and it's a personal opinion. You or anyone else shouldn't be concerned her some skeptics on this site believe or don't believe. You have your own mind and ideas and that's what counts the most.

If they accept these things exist what are the options beyond non human intelligence? Reports go way back in time making human made devices kind of unlikely.

[MrAnderson]

10 minutes ago, papageorge1 said:

If they accept these things exist what are the options beyond non human intelligence? Reports go way back in time making human made devices kind of unlikely.

Not that many. Some of them try to argue this is a natural phenomenon or misidentifications. But we know it's not a natural phenomenon and when you remove some misidentifications that do exist we are still left with something unexplained.

[Hazzard]

1 hour ago, MrAnderson said:

Not that many. Some of them try to argue this is a natural phenomenon or misidentifications. But we know it's not a natural phenomenon and when you remove some misidentifications that do exist we are still left with something unexplained.

Why are you so hesitant in saying what you really meen - ET is here!!

[MrAnderson]

4 hours ago, Hazzard said:

Why are you so hesitant in saying what you really meen - ET is here!!

If I was sure about it I would have said it. Is not about whether I have the guts to do so. We all know that I say what I think. So for the time being I maintain my position that this is a possibility that we shouldn't dismiss. Papa is making a good point though.

[Montello]

They just come and go aliens not agressive

[Antigonos]

18 hours ago, astrobeing said:

More people believe ridiculous conspiracy theories than ever before. Coincidence?

Twenty years of Ancient Aliens and other pseudoscientific/pseudohistorical tv shows will do that.

[Antigonos]

4 hours ago, Montello said:

aliens not agressive

They’re not “aggressive” either.

Except, you know, for the whole forcibly abducting people against their will and butt probing them, and that whole cattle mutilation thing. 

Jeez, don’t you watch TV?