Are UFOlogists Useful Idiots?

Hello everyone.

I've been pondering my own culpability as a "useful idiot" for a while now,
so I'm posting this to see if others agree with my premise.

The basic premise, is that even respectable researchers of UFOs and
associated phenomenon have become useful idiots, and while the art
of making use of "useful idiots" has recently become perfected, the
art itself is extremely ancient.

I'm going to use the following definition of a "useful idiot":
"A useful idiot is a person who is a true believer in some purported
phenomenon for which there is scant evidence, who WHETHER THEY
ACCOMPLISH GOOD RESEARCH OR NOT, are in fact contributing to
a mass psychological manipulation, often on the scale of an entire
society or most societies.

Please allow me a little history lesson here to show how this has
worked over the millennia:

1. Originally people used their basic senses and what they saw
is what they believed.

2. The human imagination blossomed and people started to believe
things which have no basis in fact.

3. Shaman arose.. these people claimed special access to things which
cannot be proven.. now they may have had this special access.. but
it doesn't matter whether they did or not.. their culture came to
believe that some people had special access, and should be listened
to or obeyed.. or the "spirits would be unhappy". But in any case,
shaman did perform useful social functions and did indeed know some
offbeat medial and psychological knowledge---so they provided value.

4. Religion arose... at first this was just more of the same, except
instead of lone shaman, entire priesthoods arose. At first this wasn't
so onerous, as there were many religions and in fact almost anyone
could start a religion by having a "vision", as it was "known" for thousands
of years that the "gods" lived in the "heavens" and no god had ever been
born a man, according (if I recall correctly) one of the last high priests
of Egypt before they were wiped out by Monotheism.

5. Monotheism arose... people were allowed entirely too much free will
under polytheism... so Monotheism came to be, to increase the power
of the wannabee controllers of society. If there is only one god, and only
the 'elect' and the "priesthood" could interact with them, then the get
out of jail free card of having your own visions was no longer allowed!
And if you still got "visions" then obviously you were consorting with
"demons" (even if you were just worshiping an earlier religion that
was once considered "holy and true" just a few years previously.

6. Monotheism with Euhemerization arose. This even tighter control
over useful idiots arose.. when knowing lies about "the gods from the
heavens assuming physical bodies" was used. With this version of
monotheism, only people who had seen/touched the "physical deity"
or were authorized like an apostle by the physical deity could "have
visions" and have authority to speak about the unknown worlds,
if any and for 'god' of course.

7. Spirituality and New Age arose (occult) Spirituality and
the occult. This starts to strike closer to home, to the modern
day. Originally spirituality and the occult were a reaction to
the onerous control mechanisms of religon and was done in
secret, so that you wouldn't be killed... for researching the
unknown laws of physics. But as we approach the modern
day, the "occult" has become hopelessly mired with both
technology and "UFOlogy".

8. The later 1800's saw Theosophy and Mdm Blavatsky
rise to power. She wrote about mystic masters/ascended
beings, who lived on other plants in our solar system,
and around other starts such as Sirius. Presumably
at some point, someone got the notion that if a
mystic master 'incarnated', they might need to catch
a ride, so I believe that was the actual origin of UFOlogy,
but that contention needs further study.

However, except for PERHAPS Kenneth Arnold, who 'saw'
the first "UFO saucers", most of the other early "experiencers"
were in fact theosophers of one sort or another; even die hard
scientists such as Jack Parsons who helped found the Jet Propulsion
Laboratory. Even silicon valley itself was primarily founded by
Theosophist/Scientists who invented things such as radar.

Now let me take a break here.. and say... that all these people
from the beginning of human culture, no matter how intelligent,
no matter how pure of heart and mind.. no matter how much
they considered themselves "truth seekers", were in fact ALL
serving very handily as "useful idiots".

Once a person "believes" in almost anything fantastical... even
if there is SOME basis for them to believe.. they become very
vulnerable to manipulation by any of the "priesthood"... the
people who claim to "known" and who can convince others that
they "know".

If you study the history of Useful Idiots, it goes in waves...
shamanism had a good run.. but people stopped believing..
religion had a great run.. but now you get atheists and agnostics.
Spirituality and the new age/occult had a great run.. but it seems to be fading.
UFOlogy had a good run.. but after 70 years of non-stop lies and deception.. it was fading a bit.

Now if only the government or other groups of people who want to control
the minds of others, could "found their own religion", with the disaffected of
traditional religons... and form a new "Priesthood", why then there would be
hundreds of millions of people, some very intelligent, wealthy, etc. who could
be made to 'obey'.

Would it be nifty if shamanism, cults, spirituality, cryptozoology, UFOlogy,
and the paranormal in general, could be rolled up under the same tent,
and then a special priesthood of daring whisteblowers could do heroic
actions, say retrieving UFO crash evidence.. alien implants.. and even
to catch the "immaterial" on IR film?

That would be something wouldn't it?

Now, speaking for myself here, I'm thoroughly and completely certain
that I have experienced undeniable paranormal events... I've studied
under some of the most knowledgeable experts in the world.. and
I try to always remember to put 'hypothesis' in front of everything
that I say.

But it doesn't matter. I'm still being a useful idiot.

It doesn't matter if physical aliens exist several galaxies over. or even
if they have visited earth. It doesn't matter if yet unknown laws of
physics make 'supernatural seeming things real'. It even doesn't
matter if "god" exists, (that's another post).

Even if some or all of these things are true.. it DOESN'T MATTER.

I'm putting forward that we are all being used.. just like we have all
been used since the first shaman thought up the gimmick..

I'm suggesting that even if the government say, knows about "aliens"
or "a Phenomenon"... it is actually a minor concern.

If in truth the "Phenomenon" if there is one, mostly ignores us unless
we pick a fight.. then that's all the better for the (lets pick on them)
"the government or the military industrial complex".

Whether any of this is true or not doesn't matter... the manipulators
have what they want... a "control mechanism" and all of us researchers
unwittingly tighten the control collars on each other with a passion,
because we are all playing their game.

Discussion welcome.

Kev

Short answer to your long question, yes.

originally posted by: MorpheusUSA
Short answer to your long question, yes.

My short answer is that there are people who have seen the unexplained and there are people that haven't...

My question about the control mechanism has been the same ever since I first asked Jacques Vallee about it many, many years ago. What is the ultimate end game? Is it simply control? Is it enlightenment for the worthy? I'm not sure.

Because if it's something that will ultimately be beneficial to us, then I know that many people will take an opportunity like that and very willingly run with it. Colleges are packed with people spending huge sums of money to learn things. If we were just informed in such a way that was clear and understandable to us in some way, we'd have people studying it and learning from it, and achieving the desired enlightenment in record time. No need to keep it a secret.

However, I can see where they would want to keep non-beneficial things from being understood by us. It would be foolish to breed cattle with high intelligence, because it would only cause them suffering to know that the only thing in their future is slaughter. Same thing if we're just containers for visiting thought entities. "That's right, humans. You're just rental cars for these non-physical beings who need to be physical for a few decades to keep reality intact." That wouldn't be very pleasant to know.

But I suppose, too, that "If ignorance is bliss, then it is foolish to be wise."

a reply to: KellyPrettyBear

You are one of the most useful idiots I have met

If you go back and read your post mate, there is one theme throughout....control,.or at least that's my bias / interpretation coming out.

Forget religion, theosophy, ufology and everything. The theme throughout is the realisation that those who wanted power and control saw ways in which they could get it and dominate, almost a "history of the rise of control and it's evolution.So..well no.
Don't forget all the things I said too...they were just vehicle's for that control.

Whether it's controlling religious belief systems, social programming and engineering, what those shiny discs in the sky are. We seem to be in the era of "controlling the narrative", whatever the narrative is, they want you to believe thier version and no-one else's.

The sad thing is, people unwittingly like to be controlled and spoon-fed, mostly as people dont like taking responsibility for thier own lives and actions, which plays right into the hands of those with power and those who want to trade up and get the power.

I have long thought we are overdue another revolution, but those imprisoned by the current socio,economic and political world would fight to keep it.

There are small parts of your post that I am unfamiliar with and will look into them, so thanks for that.

Also kev, your formatting of your posts is still terrible I am used to how you post but others may not be, would be a shame if someone didn't bother purely down to the layout

a reply to: Blue Shift

Love your cattle analogy

a reply to: pigsy2400

The reason I went through all the history is that people don't tend
to know history. They see the ears on the elephant, but not the
elephant. I showed the elephant to make a simple point.

I always struggle with formatting, on ATS only. I have no idea why
it won't do auto page breaks like every other site in existence..
and when I do manual page breaks, it looks terrible. I've written
3 books and one shorter work.. I do basically know how to write.

Kev

a reply to: Blue Shift

Who said that reality was pleasant?

Find me someone who says that reality is pleasant, and I'll show you
someone who knows nothing about reality.

Kev

a reply to: KellyPrettyBear

That's why I thanked you bud, there are some elements where my knowledge is limited.

Just to clarify.. although I went to great pains to be clear in the OP.

This post is NOT about spirituality, UFOs or the paranormal.

It is not about those who have experienced something and those who have
not experienced something.

It is not about Jacques Vallee's control loop.

I'm not refuting UFOs or the paranormal. In fact I endorse both concepts
as true...or at least probably true.

I'm saying that no matter what is true, or what is not true.. an obsession
of any kind, with something that cannot be proven, is the oldest trick
in the book.. and you wind up being a "useful idiot" for those who
know how to manipulate useful idiots.

Even geniuses.. even 'insiders' wind up being useful idiots.. in fact they
are the MOST USEFUL idiots.

When others manage to set the table for you.. when others so dominate
media and social media that no matter what you say or do, even your
honest work enhances their carefully crafted manipulation...then you
are a "useful idiot".

You wind up having to invent new words, to describe your concepts..
ones that they have not co-opted for their disinformation and control
campaigns.. and while you spend decades working on your research,
the marketers of disinformation spend 70+ years "winning".

Kev

You nailed it Kelly. UFOs are ww2 Germans or secret military. There are no bug-like "extra terrestrials". That was 6 decades of Hollywood disinformation. This is all about Ww2 which was won using hidden anti gravity technology in b29 bombers

originally posted by: KellyPrettyBear
Find me someone who says that reality is pleasant, and I'll show you
someone who knows nothing about reality.

I will say that it is occasionally pleasant, and it can be more pleasant at some times than others. Perhaps with us, sometimes it's the carrot, but most of the time it's the stick.

originally posted by: AriAsulin
You nailed it Kelly. UFOs are ww2 Germans or secret military. There are no bug-like "extra terrestrials". That was 6 decades of Hollywood disinformation. This is all about Ww2 which was won using hidden anti gravity technology in b29 bombers

You are aware no doubt, that there have been heavy disinformation campaigns
in your area of interest as well?

It's perhaps one of the most tedious books ever written, but I highly recommend
"The Rosetta Deception" by James Carrion.

Again.. it's irrelevant what, if any is the "true story" about weird things in the mind
and in the sky.. that's not what this post is about.

In fact every person to post a response about their favorite theory, is in fact
proving my thesis.

Kev

originally posted by: KellyPrettyBear
a reply to: Blue Shift

Who said that reality was pleasant?

Find me someone who says that reality is pleasant, and I'll show you
someone who knows nothing about reality.

Depends on which reality.

The Eloi in Wells' 'The Time Machine' (1895) lived a life of unimaginable pleasantness.

Sure, some got thrown to the Morlocks as supper, but thems the breaks.

originally posted by: KellyPrettyBear
a reply to: pigsy2400

The reason I went through all the history is that people don't tend
to know history. They see the ears on the elephant, but not the
elephant. I showed the elephant to make a simple point.

I can now see what you think is an elephant but I can't see the elephant.

As Pigsy very eloquently put it, people do seem to want to be told what to do, and are very easily persuaded to do nothing.

As a friend of mine puts it, there are sheep and then there are different kinds of sheep.

a reply to: Blue Shift

Actually... I embraced massive suffering on my own "path"
for over 50 years.. and it got me the answers I was looking
for.. for the most part.

And NOW i'm happy.. a very happy family man.. I live an almost
stress and worry free life... and I'm flooded with love from my
wife and my puppy dogs..

But life itself is setup so that a critical shortage of resources
and massive selfishness (I'm selfish too in my own way) contributes
to massive suffering and horrible mind games (the subject of this
post).

In the industrialized world, in this very narrow window of time..
suffering doesn't look too bad.. but for most of human history
it was rampant.. and it might well be soon again..

"you are at the height of your civilization" ---Agent Smith

originally posted by: KilgoreTrout

originally posted by: KellyPrettyBear
a reply to: pigsy2400

The reason I went through all the history is that people don't tend
to know history. They see the ears on the elephant, but not the
elephant. I showed the elephant to make a simple point.

I can now see what you think is an elephant but I can't see the elephant.

As Pigsy very eloquently put it, people do seem to want to be told what to do, and are very easily persuaded to do nothing.

As a friend of mine puts it, there are sheep and then there are different kinds of sheep.

An "idiot" who is merely pacified, won't be out in the streets protesting
and making life difficult. They will allow their standard of living to be
siphoned away to the elite.. etc etc.

The brightest idiots need a very shiny object indeed, to misdirect their
intellect. The brightest idiots might figure out "inconvenient truths",
unless you keep them busy with divide by zero loops.

You are certainly correct bout there being 2 kinds of idiots.. those who
believe in binary and those who don't.. (that's the standard joke).

a reply to: KellyPrettyBear

Whatever gets you through the night.

a reply to: ConfusedBrit

My point was that most folks I have ever met,
live "lives of quiet desperation" like Thoereau
said.. but convince themselves that they are not.

The selling of "quiet desperation avoidance memes"
is a booming business in the early 21st century,
just like it has ALWAYS been.

a reply to: KilgoreTrout

Yup.

That's how life works..

People either choose to die, or to become
a "magician" as per "The Magus" by John
Fowles.