Come on Rouj, think about it, if you fired a laser at it you'd blow up the moon. This is just science.

That's no moon. It's a space station.

[edit] Damnit, out the way, Gurt.

djchump wrote:

"Open-minded" is a stretch, given the response to debunking videos is dismissal with "lol at the keyboard warrior examining the evidence with some simple maths!" - just believing any old tosh that a fighter pilot or other "authority figures" with outlandish claims simply because "well, they *must* know what they're talking about! Why would they lie (on the TV program that is paying them to appear on it)?!" is not the measure of an open mind. Ability to change an opinion, even if it's a deeply held one, when shown counter-evidence is the measure of an open mind.

So basically, the new reason to reject an alternative source of information, is because of the likelihood of it being co-opted by commercial forces?
I mean, that's pretty fucking meta, right?

Which is more likely:  Aliens are here on Earth, or some people like being the centre of attention and will say any old shit to get to be on TV?

What if you’re a narcissist who discovers an alien?

Actually more of an exhibitionist?

Unlikely wrote:

Which is more likely:  Aliens are here on Earth, or some people like being the centre of attention and will say any old shit to get to be on TV?

b0r1s wrote:

What if you’re a narcissist who discovers an alien?

Edit - For Chump, too.

To directly reply to your specific point? How probable was the emergence of Ed Snowden, and do you think his media work has covered the cost of his rather conspicuous resignation? He's quite likely made enough to retire, though he lives in the precarious hope of a Presidential pardon. It may yet come.

Why aren't other intelligence officials rushing forward to claim a book deal?

I suppose though, what you would need to do to properly 'balance' this argument, is find a whistleblower, prior to Snowden, making similar claims, and explore why they weren't believed.

I'm sure that's quite possible.

They probably don't want to have to live in Russia.

That’s what they want you to think.

I got a guided tour to Area 51 and the guide who drove us there had an uncle who worked at the base back in the day. Unfortunately he couldn’t tell us details, but most of it is true he said. So I’ll believe him over stupid science any day.

Was a weird coincidence he ended up doing alien highway tours though.

*thinking*

@goobs

On the contrary, I'm pretty sure there are credible sources that say all this alien talk is part of a deliberate disinformation campaign... I can't remember why, but there are two hypotheses that I believe:

1. Outlandish conspiracy theories are useful because they help foster the image and marginalisation of the "conspiracy theorist". Thus in the 90s and 00s both the English lizard guy (David Icke?) and Noam Chomsky could be lumbered together. I remember listening to Icke on some PsP radio app, think on that crazy's infowars internet radio channel. What he was saying was 80% Chomsky (ie orthodox marxist-realist premises) and then the conclusion would go Vinderberg or whatever and then lizards.

2. Conspiracy theories that aggrandise either or both the security services and the army are useful to both, because they help to elevate mystique /respect/fear of them, and they hide how chaotic, incompetent and just plain human-error ridden these institutions are.

That's not even to touch upon why people believe in conspiracy theories, so to speak (I hate that term, see 1 above)... Which is probably to do with a yearning for the world to make sense, and for the causes of events to have human agency, even if we are nothing to do with that agency - someone has a plan. It's better than "fucking random world out there mate, good luck buddy you'll need it.

https://twitter.com/arakeys/status/1306317253953163264?s=19

Just for you bhd.

That would be roundabout while Voyager was being developed, and I’d assume plenty of people were being employed to think about what sort of message should be on board. And there’s no qualification of what Americans and Russians. Politicians? Scientists? Amateur enthusiasts?

Those were the days went the mentals protested at the use of naked people on the plaque.

And physics. The hyperfine transition of hydrogen pic was the first thing agreed upon iirc.