What's the problem if more people start to believe that aliens have already visited Earth?
The claim that 'aliens have already visited Earth' has become increasingly popular in recent years, with about a fifth of British people
Belief in alien visits to Earth is spiraling out of control – here's why that's so dangerous
https://theconversation.com/belief-in-alien-visits-to-earth-is-spiralling-out-of-control-heres-why-thats-so-dangerous-237789
At the time of writing, there is no scientific evidence that aliens exist, but the number of people who believe that aliens are actually visiting Earth is increasing. At first glance, it may not seem like a big deal if more people believe in the existence of extraterrestrials, but Milligan argues that this could have harmful consequences.
In the United States , the Department of Defense has responded to growing public demand for disclosure of information about UFOs by setting up a website on UFOs and other anomalous phenomena . The disclosure of information from the Department of Defense has attracted bipartisan attention, but behind it are suspicions that 'groups, including the military and private sector, may be concealing the truth about aliens and their cutting-edge technology for commercial gain.'
The idea that the government is engaged in some kind of cover-up is even more widespread than the belief that aliens are visiting Earth: A 2019 Gallup poll found that 68% of Americans believe the U.S. government knows more about UFOs than it is publicly telling them.
This political trend has been around for decades, with Democratic President Jimmy Carter claiming to have seen a UFO in 1969 and promising to release classified documents on UFOs during his presidential campaign, and Hillary Clinton expressing a desire to release more Department of Defense documents during the 2016 presidential election.
Former President Donald Trump, who was elected in the same election, also said he knew 'interesting information' about the Roswell incident , the alleged UFO crash.
Trump Discusses Declassifying Roswell, Says He knows 'Very Interesting' Information | NBC News NOW - YouTube
Since President Joe Biden took office, the Department of Defense has finally begun to disclose information, but as of the time of writing, no evidence has emerged to support the existence of UFOs or aliens from space. However, the idea that aliens are visiting Earth continues to spread.
'All of this could ultimately fuel conspiracy theories and undermine trust in democratic institutions,' Milligan said. 'There were once humorous calls to 'attack Area 51 ', but this danger seems heightened now after the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol .' He argued that belief in aliens could lead to the undermining of social institutions.
Also, too much background noise about UFOs and anomalies could negatively impact legitimate scientific communication about the possibility of finding extraterrestrial life. Indeed, the Disney-owned YouTube channel HISTORY , which regularly broadcasts shows about 'aliens visiting ancient Earth,' has about 14 million subscribers. Meanwhile, the NASA-run astrobiology channel NASA Astrobiology has only 21,000 subscribers.
Another problem is that people who believe in alien visits overwrite indigenous folklore and mythology. NASA supports efforts such as the Native Skywatchers initiative to preserve the folklore about the stars passed down by the Native American Ojibwe and Lakota peoples . Indigenous folklore about the sky is an important tool to help astronomers understand celestial phenomena of the past.
However, some UFO researchers are combining Native American folklore with fictional stories about UFOs and repackaging them as 'hidden history.' This wouldn't be a problem if it remained within the framework of entertainment novels, but Milligan points out that it has enough influence to actually overwrite Native American folklore, which is a dangerous sign.
'It is becoming increasingly clear that belief in alien visits is no longer just a fun fantasy, but has real and harmful consequences,' Milligan said.
Related Posts:
