Aliens, UFOs, and Government Conspiracies
I’ve heard the arguments spouted by true believers. I’ve watched the television specials narrated by Nemoy-esque hosts. I’ve even had long, detailed debates with friends and family over the possibility of extraterrestrial life. It is an argument that seems to me very much like that which surrounds the existence of divinity. Those who believe it refuse to be convinced otherwise, and the rest of us can’t help but pity the poor souls who are blinded by an unreasonable level of faith.
Yes, it is a fact that extraterrestrial life is a statistical guarantee. The universe is an infinitely expansive place with any number of worlds on which life could develop. That being said, astronomical distances and geological timelines make this argument absolutely worthless. It is a statistical impossibility that another civilization of intelligent lifeforms would exist at the same time as humanity and be close enough to reach earth, even with some manner of hyper-advanced technology. True believers might argue further that these beings are more than capable of travel across obscene distances and even time, placing their beliefs further into the realm of science fiction. After all, where should one draw the line between scientific possibility and a leap of the imagination?
As for government cover-ups, I think I’ve heard enough. Does the government conceal information from the general public? Yes. Absolutely. Is this necessarily a bad thing? Of course not. For reasons of national defense and security, some things need to be kept out of the realm of common knowledge. It is for the good of everyone that these secrets are kept. What other motive could those in power possibly have for doing so? The government isn’t out to get us. The government exists to serve and protect its citizenry.
Last but not least, I am sick of the term UFO being immediately linked to the belief in extraterrestrials. UFO means “Unidentified Flying Object.” I think particular focus should be given to the first word, namely, “Unidentified.” A UFO is, quite simply, something in the sky that cannot easily be identified. Yes, UFOs exist, but it is doubtful that they are extraterrestrial spacecraft. There are thousands of more reasonable explanations for such phenomena without having to jump to such outlandish conclusions. I’d love to see the academic study that can scientifically prove a UFO to have extraterrestrial origins. Chances are good that no such study with any degree of credibility exists.
I think it’s time for the true believers of the world to acknowledge their flights of fancy for what they are. Aliens could exist, but they almost certainly don’t. UFOs could be from another planet, but they almost certainly aren’t. The government could be pulling the wool over our eyes, and they probably are, but not for the reasons that these people seem so willing to make up. There are stranger things on this planet than any one person could explore in a lifetime. I think it’s best to keep our mind’s on earth than to keep our heads in the stars.