Why do I want to see a UFO?

[Pekingese]

Am listening to the Dec 9 episode where David and Gene spend the time discussing the field, and was compelled to finally join the forum (have listened to EVERY show you've done, at least once).

David, you suggested that people who've not had a UFO experience wish to have one and essentially resent those of you who have. You liken it to the "wanting to belong" phenomena which I, too, believe is one of a handful of foundation reasons for the prevalence of organized religion. But hearing you say that made me pause the iPod and come register in the forums immediately.

While there may be some of that going on, I can tell you categorically that is NOT why I desire to have an experience. Do I wish to be abducted? Hell no! But I DO yearn to have a good, quality, verifiable-to-me sighting. I need to see for myself, under no shaky conditions, that the thing exists. I don't want lights in the sky, I don't want curious clouds, I don't want anything that my analytical mind can reason away. I want a good, solid, "what the hell is THAT?!" sighting. Why? Because I've been following this topic since I was at least 9 years old (have dateable memories from the summer of '74) and I just want to KNOW, if only for myself, that the phenomena is real--whatever the heck it is. All I have to go on now is stories, photos of dubious origin, and second-, third-, or more hand witness accounts. For my inquiring mind, that's just not enough.

 

[Aaron LeClair]

I don't think I'd want a good sighting unless tons of people were around, and/or I could get pics and/or vid of it. I've had unimpressive sightings though.

Same with an abduction. I wouldn't be thrilled about the anal probes, but if I was allowed to record it (minus my butt, or received the proverbial cigarette lighter from their ship, I would probably go along with it. But, without evidence? No thanks, I don't need to live with the crap of knowing something so profound, only to have few believe me whole heartedly. I already live a little like that, and although I'm glad for what proof I have seen (in regards to ghost related phenomena) knowing aliens exist beyond reasonable doubt on top of it would potentially be devastating (without good evidence, or proof).

I've been actually working on stake outs for years in my area. This would be me sitting in my car bored trying to get an abduction on tape. I haven't succeeded yet, but it is something I am driven to do. I'm not the typical person though, the paranormal doesn't scare me as much as it seems to scare others. My drive is to prove, more so than to merely experience though. It would suck big time if I ever saw an abduction and nothing showed up on tape, or had my camera taken from me. But at least knowing I tried, might get me through any frustration that I would experience if that were to happen.

 

[Siani]

It's weird - many people who have never seen a UFO, want to see one, thinking that their sighting will validate or verify the phenomenon, that it will provide answers. But believe me, all it ever does is generate far more questions than answers. Seeing one is far more unsettling than you can ever imagine, simply because your eyes and brain lose their usual synergy. You have no frame of reference for what you're seeing, and unless you've experienced something like this, it's hard to explain the kind of primitive fear and bewilderment that overtakes you. As I've heard so many UFO experiencers say - be careful what you wish for.

 

[David Biedny]

Pekingese,

Welcome to the forums. Glad you enjoy the show.

I understand the desire to validate, in one's own mind, the reality of this situation. To have the experience first-hand is to know that it is indeed real - or is it? Do you think that if it happened to you, that any aspect of your curiosity regarding this topic would be satisfied? Perhaps you'd have the validation you seek, or maybe you'd be less than thrilled in the knowledge that you've had the experience, but still don't understand any aspect of it or what it means. I can't speak for anyone but myself, but I often think that my life would have been so much less complicated if I had not had any of my experiences. Perhaps I could live a "normal" life, and maybe I would have enjoyed more direct financial success and stability, instead of finding myself in an intellectual and emotional detour which has had an overall negative effect on my life and professional career.

Who knows - it's really hard to second-guess one's own life and reason for being here. I don't know what any of this stuff means, I just know that I'm compelled to study it, talk about it with other folks who are interested in some insights, and who are intelligent and objective enough to take seriously, instead of making it into a substitution for religious dogma. In my conversations with many of our guests, as well as folks like Jeff Ritzmann and my lovely honey Susan (who has truly given me some new ways to look at all of this), I feel that I'm getting a little closer to the insight I seek. The thing that bothers me is that it's possible that the realm of the paranormal really is really outside of our ability to understand it in any meaningful way. On tonight's show, Mac Tonnies makes the point that it's possible that our brains simply aren't wired in a way that can actually parse and comprehend these things. I hope he's wrong about this, but in my heart of hearts, I suspect that he's right.

dB

 

[Poi]

A Mexican (I think she was from Mexico) physicist proposed as much in a paper she wrote in the last couple of years. I'd link to it if I could even think of what to google on. Anyway, she said essentially the same thing and it rang true. Doesn't stop the questions either.

Edit: I hope you see one, Pekingese.

 

[Loose Leaf Tea]

I sort of have a foot in both camps, as it were, this longing to see a UFO and then suddenly facing what I truly believed was one, until I discovered...
...well, here's the story.
I used to live in a quiet market town and on a cold, overcast winter afternoon I was standing in my driveway when I suddenly noticed a dazzling, white light hovering noiselessly over the town. It hung there, huge and impossibly still and silent and totally "alien" to the quaint English countryside beneath it. Having had the desire for so many years of wanting to see something like this, I had often imagined myself (from the comfort of a good armchair) stepping forward with steely resolve, pipe in mouth, firm handshake at the ready, (a la Dr Hynek in Close Encounters), to greet our curious space brethren.
Sigh.
The shameful truth was, dear readers; I was a quivering wreck. I called for my wife in a strange falsetto, who confirmed that the light really was there. She appeared only partially interested. The dazzling fire defied all logical sense to me so I decided to confront it, man to man, come what may. I drove the few minutes into town, staring nervously as the light filled the windscreen. Large numbers of people filled the normally quiet streets and, strangest of all, a film crew rushed back and forth in a state of high excitement. I was soon standing directly under the monstrous light and saw that it was attached to a large gantry which was illuminating - yes - an outside television broadcast.
Since that day, I have examined my feelings and my reactions to the event and discovered, to my amazement, that fear was my overriding emotion - fear and the curious feeling of wanting the incident to be "alien" whilst at the same time, hoping it is not.
Now I am more careful what I wish for and cannot begin to imagine how David, and the many, many others like him, cope in the aftermath of the truly anomalous.

 

[TClaeys]

It would be interesting, nonetheless perhaps life changing, to see something like what may be percieved as a "real UFO". And what would your feeling be now if you had not followed this "object"? Probably that of a UFO experience and all that follows such an episode.

Anyway I think it enables a certain amount of objectivity not ever having seen one. I can look at the stories and accounts in a different mindset than someone who has had an experience, at least I think so because I have never sat on the other side of the fence.

And I wonder how much second guessing may be going on in perhaps Davids mind or others. Is there second guessing that perhaps it didn't even happen? I know that may seem crazy, but I would like to know how much internal self evaluation goes on in retrospect. They say everything is easy in hindsight, but I can imagine the inner turmoil that such an event might produce, especially looking back on it.

And I agree that stories, accounts, radar returns, etc aren't enough for me to say 100% this is a true phenomenon even though I think it is. But I suppose validating this by a profound sighting would only turn a simple question into some kind of lifelong acid-trip-like quest for all the answers. And I'm not sure I'm ready for that right now. And in the same thought I glance out my window to the heavens as if to ask "Is anbody out there?"

 

[PamiP]

Pekingese, I also hope you get the chance to see a UFO. My experiences have changed my life. The first time I saw a craft I felt absolute awe. It glided through the evening sky, stopped overhead for a split second, and darted off in a direction that none of our aircraft could possibly maneuver. My knees were shaking after it darted off.

Keep looking to the sky!