For me the big aha moment was hearing Matthew explain the plant anomalies sequence and the mysterious, genetically altered node mutations. It took me back 15 years to previous debates about the supposed xtraterrestrial agency responsible for these anomalies. BLT hung their hat on this scienctific upchucking the way Leir claims similar orgies of "science" over the alien implant mythology. This thread's range of belief systems is a wonderful spectrum of what the paranormal is all about from believer to curiosity seeker to skep-dick.
And speaking about @
Muadib, my fellow enthusiast, I like the way you had no dog in the fight but persisted to cheer for the critical vantage point - a good place to truly see crop circles for what they are: human constructions engaged in commentary about ccbelievers. You could easily academicize this position the way @
Jimi H. accurately did with the big smooth strokes of his electrified tune. Artists never really get to define themselves - that's the job of the critic/historian.
If the intent is some New-Age quasi-religious enlightenment project then my comments about the religious aspects of the circle scene were too watered down. What you have then is a social experiment (mind control) being conducted by amateurs that takes on many cult-like characteristics.
I think this was a pretty astute comment, as was trainedobserver's later comment:
My conclusion about crop circles are that they are nothing but a distraction and have no direct connection with UFOs or the paranormal. Produced by human artists for a variety of reasons, a complex subculture and industry has formed around them based on a misinterpretation of their origins and significance that renders much of what comes out of that subculture meaningless except as cautionary tales.
I would really like to hear @
Matthew Williams respond to these points as Matthew speaks well of Colin, but identifies trying to make points to other ccresearchers is like walking hrough treacle. So do you, Matthew, take any responsibility for the cult like experiences and altering of human personalities that have resulted from your late night field graffiti? Forget the researchers deaf to your grainy taunts - what about all the believers you have helped spawn?
But back to the aha moment: if the ccphenomnon, including all the BLT legitimization of cc as genuine xtraterrestrial artifacts, is totally bogus, then how many other paranormal pursuits are based on out of context woodcuts, or begin in layers of myths (stories invented to explain wild phenomenon that we now know to be prosaic events) and today are relaquered by the researchers' claims, who in their garbles, give the people, as M. Williams says, exactly what they want?
And then does that make The Paracast just another Waystation where we are all sitting around the digital glow together in the cave, speculating on the value of pictographs while chewing on that finger hash (dangerous stuff - best to stay away)? The 16 different ccpuns that cropped up in this episode suggests a kind of repetition. But then anything circular is bound to provide the odd synchronicity here and there.
