Since 2017, there has been more official disclosure of government records and reports of UFOs. It’s still a taboo subject in much of the news media, so the level of public discussion is limited, and being concerned with their reputation, most scholars have kept quiet about it. I was made to comment on this topic, out of the blue, when I was interviewed for Ubiquity University. I had been invited to talk about societal collapse risk and readiness, but the host Jim Garrison had just heard important news from Washington DC about official investigations into Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs). I fumbled my way through an answer, as someone who has always been agnostic on their existence or not. However, since then, I’ve read reports, seen the military videos, heard eye-witness testimony from senior officials, and realise that the UFO phenomenon, that’s now called UAPs, does indeed exist. I have also begun to hear people who are deeply concerned about our ecological predicament now wondering if aliens could help us. If this is the first time you hear about that, you might think it nuts – such is the stigma. But I’m increasingly asked for a view on the matter. So to avoid repeating myself in correspondence, here is a blog!
Dipping my toe in this field I have noticed a lot of entrepreneurial writers, entertainers, mediums, new age spiritualists, on the one hand, and military personnel on the other. That means it is a field where there are wild claims, illogical inferences, staged performances, and defensive mindsets. But there are also people who have braved ridicule, or risked their careers, to engage publicly about this topic. Just because there have been charlatans, and will be more to come, does not mean smart people should ignore the matter altogether.
As a transdisciplinary research analyst, when I look at a field of knowledge, I immediately focus on the assumptions that might be limiting the inquiry and dialogue. Therefore, as I see people discussing UAPs, and what they could mean, I have noticed some limiting assumptions. They are important to spot and drop, before any further discussion and speculation. I have written them up as a list, so that people I discuss this matter with can expand their exploration.
- There could be multiple species of Technologically Advanced Non-Human Intelligence (TANHI). I mention ‘technology’ within this term out of recognition of the myriad intelligences of known lifeforms on Earth. Different TANHI could have different capabilities, motivations, ideologies and opinions that influence their (non-)interaction with life on Earth.
- Within just one species of TANHI, there could be different capabilities, motivations, ideologies, and opinions that influence their (non-)interaction with life on Earth.
- Just because some evidence is irrefutable, doesn’t mean all evidence is valid, and therefore each claim about TANHIs needs to relate to specific evidence rather than a general story that might have incorporated false evidence from the past.
- Just because TANHIs are not human does not mean they are not living on this planet, such as in Antarctica, or under the sea floor.
- Just because some phenomena are visible to humans at different moments in time, doesn’t mean that the TANHIs are not constantly and pervasively present. They might be present in ways that are so small and fast so as not to be visible, or they might exist in a non-material way.
- Just because some people claim some moments of telepathy with TANHIs doesn’t mean that the TANHIs are not constantly and pervasively in communication with the subconscious of some people, all people, or other lifeforms.
- Just because some TANHIs might be particularly interested in nuclear facilities, does not mean they care about potential destruction, radiation, technological capability, nor does it mean other TANHIs would have the same concerns. Human-made nuclear fission might have been a signal into outer-space that alerted some TANHIs, or it could have alerted TANHIs that co-habit on Planet Earth.
- Just because TANHIs might perceive the ecological collapse currently underway, does not mean they are motivated to intervene to preserve species in general, specific species in particular, or the human species. They might have different time frames, such as 100s of thousands of years. Hypothetically, some TANHIs might know that ants will evolve in millennia to become like them, and that could be their prime interest – we don’t know.
- Just because TANHIs appear visually, sometimes physically, does not mean they are here in a physical form similar to objects and lifeforms. Instead, they could be appearing via remote projection, perhaps using quantum entanglement. That might mean they have limited capacity for exerting their will, physically, on Earth, and can only influence that via the ideas of lifeforms on Earth.
- Just because there are mass sightings of UAPs/UFOs in recent times (e.g. last 6 weeks of 2024) does not limit this matter to a contemporary phenomenon that sidelines consideration of what our governments were doing over the past 70 years, and potential accountability for that and any lessons from that.
- Just because you might be agnostic on the matter of UAPs/UFOs does not mean you are being more sensible than others, nor does it mean this is not one of the most important issues today. Agnosticism can simply reflect to a lack of time to explore the issue, or, sadly, a fear of ridicule.
- Just because someone has seen a UAP/UFO and/or reports telepathic communication with them, does not mean their explanations are valid. Instead, any explanation draws on the life experiences and culture of the person involved.
- Just because a particular expert, journalist or politician has been accepting of the existence of TANHIs, and thus being proven correct by both recent disclosure and mass sightings, does not mean they have any legitimacy for their views on public affairs.
- Just because the UAP/UFO phenomenon is real doesn’t, in itself, justify massive new military spending, or any other policy which should be subject to public scrutiny i.e. UAP existence doesn’t mean all previous interests and principles become secondary.
Avoiding these last three assumptions are really important. That’s because as people become aware of irrefutable evidence of UFOs/UAPs, some of them will experience their world turned upside down, consciously or not. They will be vulnerable to accepting a new story of the world being told to them by an opportunist or powerful institution. The existence of some whacky and exploitative cults that are founded around beliefs in aliens is a warning in this regard. So, to repeat: just because there is evidence of TANHIs does not mean all persons speaking about them or claiming to receive messages from them, or prepare for them, are credible.
If we drop the stigma, this topic can be fascinating. It can help to be playful about it, as then we can discover further limiting assumptions. My friend Will Ruddick used ChatGPT to help, asking it why we don’t see more mass sightings over populated areas – it gave some fun responses (pasted below for those of you not on Facebook).
I am happy to have open minded conversations about this topic, such as the implications for religious belief, but I am not working on it. If I spot more assumptions over time, then I might add them below. In the meantime, I welcome you adding any assumptions you believe you might be witnessing in this field, in the comments below.
In the meantime, if you feel like praying to TANHIs to reverse the ecological crisis and bring peace on Earth, then go for it. I see no harm in that unless it distracts you from the reality of what is unfolding and how to integrate that reality into your life. I’d be surprised if it helps – but, hey, I’m just not there yet!
Image above is from WEER (alien yoga).
—
A couple of articles that summarise how the topic is being discussed in the US in recent years:
UAPs and Non-Human Intelligence: What Is the Most Reasonable Scenario? – The Debrief
2023: The year UFOs descended on Washington, DC (but not like you’d expect) | Space
Free videos for newbies (but then cross check for yourself… I await the haters saying I rely on videos):
UFOs: I KNOW WHAT I SAW – A James Fox Film – YouTube
Will Ruddick’s fun ChatGPT query and response:
WILL: I asked #ChatGPT to create some plausible explanations for why we don’t see alien’s landing in populated areas and showing their presence publicly – be funny but serious.
ChatGPT:
Alright, let’s have some fun with this! Here are some “plausible” explanations for why we haven’t seen aliens landing in populated areas:
Prime Directive from Star Trek is Real: The aliens have a strict “non-interference” policy, similar to the Prime Directive from Star Trek. They’re just respecting our cultural and technological development. Or maybe they’re just huge Trekkies and don’t want to mess with the plot.
Alien Tourist Etiquette: Earth is listed in the Intergalactic Travel Guide as a “Look, but don’t touch” destination. They’re just being polite tourists. Plus, they’ve read our Yelp reviews about traffic in populated areas and decided it’s not worth the hassle.
Aliens are Introverts: They’re just shy. Landing in a populated area is their version of public speaking, and they’re not about that life.
Alien Reality TV: Earth is part of an intergalactic reality TV show. Aliens are watching us for entertainment, and landing would be a major spoiler. They’re waiting for the season finale.
Aliens are Hipsters: They only visit the most obscure, off-the-beaten-path places on Earth. Landing in populated areas is just too mainstream for them.
Alien Flying Car Traffic Jams: The skies above us are actually filled with alien flying cars, but they’re stuck in traffic. They’ve been trying to land for centuries, but the intergalactic equivalent of a fender bender keeps holding them up.
Earth’s Fashion Police: Aliens have been monitoring our TV signals and are terrified of being critiqued by Earth’s fashion police. They’re still trying to figure out if bell-bottoms are in or out this century.
Alien Influencers: They’re only landing in remote areas to get that perfect Instagram shot without the crowds. #NoFilter #JustGalacticThings
Alien Bureaucracy: They’ve been trying to get landing permits for populated areas, but Earth’s bureaucratic red tape is legendary across the galaxy. They’re still waiting for approval from the Intergalactic Zoning Committee.
…
WILL: Finally: To any extraterrestrial civilizations that may be listening or observing: Humanity, in all its beauty and complexity, is at a pivotal moment in its history. We have achieved incredible feats of science, art, and culture, yet we grapple with profound challenges that threaten our very existence, from environmental degradation to societal divisions. If you possess the wisdom, technology, or insights that could guide us towards a more harmonious and sustainable future, we humbly ask for your assistance. The shared fabric of life that binds all conscious beings in the universe compels us to seek understanding and collaboration. If you are out there, and if you can, please help us realize the potential of our species and protect the delicate blue planet we call home. #helpusaliens
Donate to keep Jem writing / Read his book Breaking Together / Ask JemBot a question / Read Jem’s key ideas on collapse / Subscribe to this blog / Study with Jem / Browse his latest posts / Read the Scholars’ Warning / Visit the Deep Adaptation Forum / Receive Jem’s Biannual Bulletin / Receive the Deep Adaptation Review / Watch some of Jem’s talks / Find Emotional Support / Jem’s actual views on Covid
Discover more from Prof Jem Bendell
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Aliens are my last and only hope for salvation from the collapse of civilization. Yes, I believe they are here, but unfortunately, I don’t believe they will save us—if that were their intention, they would have done so already. We are destined to live out our fate to the end.
Good Morning Prof Bendell I should add 2 assumptions / logical parameters that you may have overlooked:1. That time travelling humans cannot be overlooked as the possible ‘aliens’2..That observed phenomena may not be alien carrying vessels, but actually alien craft / projections which are AI controlled, therefore no aliens on Earth A theory which I am sure is popular, (although I have not read of it) and which seems logical, to account for the presence of aliens (or their unmanned craft) is that they are ‘interested’ in humans cutting edge technology – this would account for their ‘teasing’ of military aircraft. Of course, a necessary corollary to this theory is the ‘why’. And if a ‘why’, then a ‘to what aim’ is a valid question. Will there come a point where aliens of some group decide that the time has come to intervene in some way? In short, is there a foreseeable conclusion to all of the ‘alien activity’? Thank you for your helpful, clarifying thoughts on this subject and thank you for patiently reading my email. (You must be inundated with communications on this matter!) Sincerely Chris Harland
I was following this recent drone/UAP story for a while, listening to pilots reporting very convincing and believable Orb sightings to their control towers. I found myself sitting very firmly in the conspiracy theorists world for the first time, on youtube. A new experience, made possible perhaps because as it didn’t appear to involve arguing for the reality of global warming, I found myself on the other side of things. Where the most important thing seemed to be not allowing the story to be gas-lighted or forgotten. I think it was a useful experience. I don’t have any answers, I don’t think there will be contact, and I don’t know what I think about the drones. I read about a man called Clif High who predicted the drone situation and Orb appearances using software he created quite a few years ago. I wondered if you had read about his story and his ideas about it? He is someone who believes in UFO’s, but ultimately he felt that the appearance of the Orbs in relation to mankind would be that they would be something akin to an experience of the akashic records. In other words, light, information and knowledge, and is that needed right now, almost certainly. So I made a decision to put the story down. I knew it would just become a story and also that it probably wouldn’t go anywhere, and life goes on. But it was a useful experience, and I could feel some solidarity and understanding with a world of people that normally wasn’t there.
Far out. This is the second reasonable post I’ve seen about this in the past two days. I’m quite sure they’re real and think perhaps I’ve met one or two!
Hiya Prof, Perhaps you could include the assumptions with
Interesting read from JB. We could watch the film later unless you’ve watched it already!
Conspiracy theorist in me–not really my main angle on things typically–can’t help but wonder if it’s just another plot for a few to control the masses–“protecting” us from the invasion or identifying aliens as benevolent and here to help then boom, we are controlled but its not aliens…I 100% believe there are other intelligent life forms so not disagreeing or challenging this, just suspicious that suddenly this is being accepted more by the powers that be when the evidence has been around for a very long time…
Hi Jem – I was searching your blog because I am taking notes for an essay I hope to write on hope and optimism, and your perspective will be included. I am doing so after a frenemy sent me an article from the Rational Optimist Society titled “WTF Happened in 2024?”
Anyway, my most recent essay just happens to be on UAV (drones) and UAPs and am including the link here.
The one point I would add is that IF they are here or observing us, even if while living among us, most of us humans do not know their intentions or capabilities – i.e. they may not be benevolent. It could be their interest is in planet Earth and not the apex predator humans. They may get the need to preserve the Earth to a much greater degree than we homo sapiens do.
https://medium.com/@jylterps/whats-up-with-planet-earth-s-global-airspace-12163c1fd69c
To refresh your memory, I also wrote the long review of Breaking Together.
https://medium.com/@jylterps/joining-together-as-imperial-modernity-breaks-book-review-and-essay-with-excerpts-75599918206a
What if alien civilizations, as a matter of routine, observe, but do not officially contact, planets of developing races of sentient beings. Most will either destroy their planet, or die out as a result of war. (Sound familiar?)
Jem
Some other points of reference on this topic from a friend of mine interested in the topic.
Not suggesting you have to read them, just sharing in case useful. Key Professors in the field are: Prof Gary Nolan (genetics and meta materials), Prof Avi Loeb (detection systems) Prof Kevin Knuth (propulsion physics). Dr Diana Pasulka, (historical religious ‘contact events’) Dr Beatrice Villaroel (astrophysicist who studies historical photographic plates of the night sky). Other sources of info: Sol Foundation.https://thesolfoundation.org/people/
I hope all is well on the region farm in Indonesia.
Best Bridget
>
Hi Jem, The word “energy” does not appear anywhere in this post or the comments. This is crucial because it takes energy to travel (move mass). The nearest planet outside our solar system is over 4 light years away so it would take many centuries for TANHI’s to travel from there, do some exploring and return home. Even at the speed of light, it would take more than 4 years to go from Earth to the new planet (and no spaceship can go nearly that fast). New Horizons is the spacecraft that flew past Pluto. At 16 kilometers (10 miles) per second, it’s the fastest vehicle that humans have launched. That was good enough to get to Pluto in nine years. But at that speed it would take almost 80,000 years to get there.
https://www.snexplores.org/blog/outside-comment/scientists-consider-how-visit-closest-exoplanet
To get there faster the mass of the energy needed to be stored in a TANHI space craft would have be maybe tens of thousands of times more than the mass of the space craft itself and the TANHI’s in it and they’d have to be able to ‘live’ for centuries.
On this little old Pale Blue Dot, we live at the bottom of a ‘gravity well’. Any TANHI that wanted to drop by and play Peek-a-boo with humans down here, would have to get out of their ‘gravity well’ first too.
All the resources needed, such as the mass of the space craft, life support gear, food, and the fuel for humans or TANHI’s start their supply chain journey’s being extracted in mines and manufactured at the bottom of a gravity well. Mining energy en route would require even more energy transporting all the equipment to do the mining / extraction / refining / storage / etc… that would have to start their supply chains down here too.
In other words the answer to the ‘Fermi’ paradox is: we’re all stuck at the bottom of a ‘gravity well’ with finite resources and finite high energy density energy supplies that are by many orders of magnitude far too small.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nearest_exoplanets