Very nicely written. Like you, I'm baffled by the cultural shrug that seems to have greeted the slow-burn revelation of a new human truth that would upend every pillar of our belief systems, about who we are, the nature of reality and the universe. Very strange.
So I tiptoed into the rabbit hole and explored the warren, then, because I'm a poet (with some minor level of profile) looked into whether poetry had addressed this at all. It has, here and there, but I thought it deserved a lean-in to look the various implications full in the face.
To which end I've just written a 'heroic crown' of Shakespearean sonnets (15 in all)..it's about to start doing the rounds of the various publishers. We shall see. I've had to pitch it quite highbrow, because of the associated stigma that attends the topic.
Interestingly, I realise two (or many) thought processes evolved. On the one hand, I became a little cynical and skeptical about the UFO/UAP 'community' and some of its actors. It's a very broad church of belief, containing multitudes etc and who am I to be incredulous?
At the same time, I became more convinced, beyond reasonable doubt, of the reality of this situation, a realisation that made the cultural shrug even stranger to me.
Anyway. Great stuff, I like your crisp, cautious approach. Good to have some clear headed thinking in the space. The needle is moving, and we (humanity) better try to get out in front of this.
You write, "And what kind of species have we become, if proximity to the profound doesn’t move the needle at all?"
Great question. In an attempt to answer, I'd offer this.
It's not just UFOs. The general public, including the overwhelming majority of Substackers, aren't able to grasp the importance of nuclear weapons or near death experiencers either.
I don't think it's stupidity really. It's more a case of what channel a person's brain is set to function on. Some people's brains are set to the big picture channel, while others are tuned to the little picture channel. The little picture channel is not wrong, in fact it's essential, the world runs on the little picture channel most of the time. Practical day to day details stuff, gotta have it.
However, the little picture channel does seem mysterious to those of who were born tuned to the big picture channel. I'm routinely asking Substackers, "how can you NOT be interested in these big picture things????" But they're not. And nothing can be done about it. And if I ever grow up, I'll stop trying.
I think the solution for we big picture people is just to be happy that we have the view we were given. I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Perhaps we all are from originated different life species dropped on this planet to test our genetic dna progression. They may have been studying us all along and visiting our world to see if we can be intelligent enough to learn to understand life and the life we share with every species and not get so advanced we destroy ourselves in the process of selfishness and greed?
Perhaps other life does still exist and the watchers are among us now. These Gods as they were called are now many living things on this earth. Are we so self indulged
We think this body is all there is? Perhaps the akashic records as spoken of is actually what we have now aka the cloud? A satellite records of all life in time of space and beyond? Has life once prospered so well as today mankind has , it did destroy itself ? And few replanted to try again? This maybe why intelligent life visitation from beyond our existence has come again to warn us? Are we worthy of life here or on another planet?
Or are we humans on a disparate path of destruction? As the world suffers who or what will be our future of survival? It would appear we are not alone . Are we ready for peace with other species if we cannot have peace with our own mankind?
Or is this world on a self destruction ?
That’s the question as we search for visitations from afar? They have been here and probably will keep returning till we become a peaceful planet. Be ready be friends and look to the sky’s for understanding with open mind and hearts. The gifts of technology given us only leads to understanding peace not create wars with one another. The future is mankind’s choice what will be yours?
You open up an important conversation, Greg. As this discussion progresses - in what I hope is a positive and constructive manner - I believe it is worthwhile to consider an interdisciplinary approach that includes, for example, those working in the fields of cognitive science, social ontology, psychology, and (dare I say it!) theology and spirituality. I see Sol as working towards this outcome.
Personally, I have found a little work by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson a helpful grounding for such conversations. Though written a while ago (with a later update), Metaphors We Live By explores the dynamic relationship between how we talk to one another and how we behave as a consequence of those conversations. Their insights offer a kind of sociological wake-up call, inviting an ongoing reflection on what drives our daily behavior.
Your example of the dollary bill captures their basic insight. From the perspective of physical reality, the dollar bill is a piece of paper. From the perspective of social reality, it is an object that is both formative AND transformative. We condition ourselves to this "fact" by the metaphors we use, e.g. "time is money." These metaphors, in turn, arise from a larger social construct that we call capitalism.
Social constructs both define what a group values and helps determine the expected behavior for the group's members. This is how we humans function.
With regard to UAP and NHI, the question then arises as to what metaphors are behind our attitudes towards this topic, and even more generally, towards whatever falls outside our worldview. The "old" terminology, e.g. "aliens," describes our deeper psycho-social attitude(s). It's all very interesting and worthy of thoughtful conversations across what might be otherwise considered "alien" disciplines.
Very nicely written. Like you, I'm baffled by the cultural shrug that seems to have greeted the slow-burn revelation of a new human truth that would upend every pillar of our belief systems, about who we are, the nature of reality and the universe. Very strange.
So I tiptoed into the rabbit hole and explored the warren, then, because I'm a poet (with some minor level of profile) looked into whether poetry had addressed this at all. It has, here and there, but I thought it deserved a lean-in to look the various implications full in the face.
To which end I've just written a 'heroic crown' of Shakespearean sonnets (15 in all)..it's about to start doing the rounds of the various publishers. We shall see. I've had to pitch it quite highbrow, because of the associated stigma that attends the topic.
Interestingly, I realise two (or many) thought processes evolved. On the one hand, I became a little cynical and skeptical about the UFO/UAP 'community' and some of its actors. It's a very broad church of belief, containing multitudes etc and who am I to be incredulous?
At the same time, I became more convinced, beyond reasonable doubt, of the reality of this situation, a realisation that made the cultural shrug even stranger to me.
Anyway. Great stuff, I like your crisp, cautious approach. Good to have some clear headed thinking in the space. The needle is moving, and we (humanity) better try to get out in front of this.
You write, "And what kind of species have we become, if proximity to the profound doesn’t move the needle at all?"
Great question. In an attempt to answer, I'd offer this.
It's not just UFOs. The general public, including the overwhelming majority of Substackers, aren't able to grasp the importance of nuclear weapons or near death experiencers either.
I don't think it's stupidity really. It's more a case of what channel a person's brain is set to function on. Some people's brains are set to the big picture channel, while others are tuned to the little picture channel. The little picture channel is not wrong, in fact it's essential, the world runs on the little picture channel most of the time. Practical day to day details stuff, gotta have it.
However, the little picture channel does seem mysterious to those of who were born tuned to the big picture channel. I'm routinely asking Substackers, "how can you NOT be interested in these big picture things????" But they're not. And nothing can be done about it. And if I ever grow up, I'll stop trying.
I think the solution for we big picture people is just to be happy that we have the view we were given. I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Perhaps we all are from originated different life species dropped on this planet to test our genetic dna progression. They may have been studying us all along and visiting our world to see if we can be intelligent enough to learn to understand life and the life we share with every species and not get so advanced we destroy ourselves in the process of selfishness and greed?
Perhaps other life does still exist and the watchers are among us now. These Gods as they were called are now many living things on this earth. Are we so self indulged
We think this body is all there is? Perhaps the akashic records as spoken of is actually what we have now aka the cloud? A satellite records of all life in time of space and beyond? Has life once prospered so well as today mankind has , it did destroy itself ? And few replanted to try again? This maybe why intelligent life visitation from beyond our existence has come again to warn us? Are we worthy of life here or on another planet?
Or are we humans on a disparate path of destruction? As the world suffers who or what will be our future of survival? It would appear we are not alone . Are we ready for peace with other species if we cannot have peace with our own mankind?
Or is this world on a self destruction ?
That’s the question as we search for visitations from afar? They have been here and probably will keep returning till we become a peaceful planet. Be ready be friends and look to the sky’s for understanding with open mind and hearts. The gifts of technology given us only leads to understanding peace not create wars with one another. The future is mankind’s choice what will be yours?
Remember the songs words
What if god was one of us?
You open up an important conversation, Greg. As this discussion progresses - in what I hope is a positive and constructive manner - I believe it is worthwhile to consider an interdisciplinary approach that includes, for example, those working in the fields of cognitive science, social ontology, psychology, and (dare I say it!) theology and spirituality. I see Sol as working towards this outcome.
Personally, I have found a little work by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson a helpful grounding for such conversations. Though written a while ago (with a later update), Metaphors We Live By explores the dynamic relationship between how we talk to one another and how we behave as a consequence of those conversations. Their insights offer a kind of sociological wake-up call, inviting an ongoing reflection on what drives our daily behavior.
Your example of the dollary bill captures their basic insight. From the perspective of physical reality, the dollar bill is a piece of paper. From the perspective of social reality, it is an object that is both formative AND transformative. We condition ourselves to this "fact" by the metaphors we use, e.g. "time is money." These metaphors, in turn, arise from a larger social construct that we call capitalism.
Social constructs both define what a group values and helps determine the expected behavior for the group's members. This is how we humans function.
With regard to UAP and NHI, the question then arises as to what metaphors are behind our attitudes towards this topic, and even more generally, towards whatever falls outside our worldview. The "old" terminology, e.g. "aliens," describes our deeper psycho-social attitude(s). It's all very interesting and worthy of thoughtful conversations across what might be otherwise considered "alien" disciplines.