# Are the Governments of the world right about aliens causing mass hysteria? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 21, 2015, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-governments-of-the-world-right-about-aliens-causing-mass-hysteria/735379 "2015-10-21T19:03:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-governments-of-the-world-right-about-aliens-causing-mass-hysteria/735379/21 "2015-10-21T19:55:32Z")
> [@Gotlift](#): > > Soooo… You clearly disagree, but instead of simply stating that you don’t believe you’d rather bash and flame me for having an opinion that differs from yours. It seems to be a common theme on this site for people to just bash and flame posters instead of engaging in a constructive conversation. I see in posts all across the board. You get one resident asshole to start the shit slinging and then all the little minions join in and try to one up your assholiness. Its boring. I can’t imagine people actually being like this in real life and being successful so I doubt you are overtly rude and condescending in your relationships or at work. Is the internet just your personal outlet for all the pent up frustration? Were you bullied as a child, or even now as an adult (assuming you are an adult)? Seriously, my goal is not to convince you or anyone one way or the other. I just wanted to have a conversation. So, why not just bow out and leave the conversation if you really don’t have anything constructive to add? Something constructive, like the “credible evidence” you can’t produce? ---
**Author:** ![Gotlift](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9fc348/32.png) [@Gotlift](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gotlift)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-governments-of-the-world-right-about-aliens-causing-mass-hysteria/735379/22 "2015-10-21T19:56:18Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Something constructive, like the “credible evidence” you can’t produce? Bow out… we’ve covered this. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-governments-of-the-world-right-about-aliens-causing-mass-hysteria/735379/23 "2015-10-21T19:58:10Z")
> [@Gotlift](#): > > Bow out… we’ve covered this. You didn’t “cover” anything. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-governments-of-the-world-right-about-aliens-causing-mass-hysteria/735379/24 "2015-10-21T19:58:33Z")
The thing that always amazes me about conspiracy theorists is that they assume that so many people will go to their graves keeping the secret. Clearly, if governments have the evidence, then a large number of people have to be involved in keeping the secret and not one of them has divulged it. Go right ahead believing it if it makes you happy. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-governments-of-the-world-right-about-aliens-causing-mass-hysteria/735379/25 "2015-10-21T20:01:58Z")
> [@Gotlift](#): > > Soooo… You clearly disagree, but instead of simply stating that you don’t believe you’d rather bash and flame me for having an opinion that differs from yours. Well, he does have a certain point. Here: > [@Gotlift](#): > > The credibility of evidence is always going to be in question as long as the Government controls the information, denies the evidence or writes everything off as natural phenomenon or simply unexplained. In other words, the credibility of evidence will always be in question as long as people question it. The statement begs the question of whether evidence is being manipulated at all. Some people will not believe the government, experts, or authorities. If the government comes out and says, that a ‘UFO’ witnessed by hundreds of people was actually a lenticular cloud, there will be those who say that the government is covering up The Truth, and they have hundreds of witnesses who _saw_ the UFO – even though it really was a lenticular cloud. Those claiming it is a UFO have no evidence, and their ‘evidence’ is that the government isn’t giving any evidence that it’s a UFO. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-governments-of-the-world-right-about-aliens-causing-mass-hysteria/735379/26 "2015-10-21T20:02:01Z")
> [@Gotlift](#): > > The title assumes that the Government is denying existence due to fears of mass hysteria. The title says that governments claim that aliens could cause mass hysteria. What governments have made this claim? ---
**Author:** ![llcoolbj77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb9ed0/32.png) [@llcoolbj77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/llcoolbj77)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-governments-of-the-world-right-about-aliens-causing-mass-hysteria/735379/27 "2015-10-21T20:07:24Z")
Of all the “scary” movie entities, zombies scare me the worst. Followed only by aliens. Neither are a threat to me in any way. But for some reason, they scare me. I don’t think I would become “hysterical” if I were to find out aliens were real and had visited Earth. But I wouldn’t be too pumped about it either. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-governments-of-the-world-right-about-aliens-causing-mass-hysteria/735379/28 "2015-10-21T20:08:42Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Maybe you can point out some of these credible eyewitnesses. Well, there was Kenneth Arnold who sighed ‘flying saucers’ on 24 June, 1947. (It’s his description that gives us the phrase ‘flying saucer’.) He was a pilot, and we all know pilots are better and smarter and more observant than anyone else. (Also, we have enormous egos. 😃 ) ---
**Author:** ![Gotlift](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9fc348/32.png) [@Gotlift](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gotlift)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-governments-of-the-world-right-about-aliens-causing-mass-hysteria/735379/29 "2015-10-21T20:09:50Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Maybe you can point out some of these credible eyewitnesses. I don’t think the results will be any different, but you’re just offering an opinion right now without trying to back it up, and getting the predictable response. > > I see you’re pretty new here, but this is how all such threads go unless you make a better argument. You’ll still get shot down, but if you present some links to the anecdotal evidence you’ll get some better responses. Oh, sorry. I thought this was IMHO not, here is my argument and my rock solid, unshakable proof. Like I said, I am not trying to convince anyone one way or the other. I guess it would have been better to simply ask: If aliens existed would Government acknowledgment cause mass hysteria? Instead, I expressed my opinion (in a board presumably here for just that) and opened myself up to ridicule like nearly every other poster here. Should have figured it would take about a nanosecond for someone to get political. Thanks for the one or two of you who actually tried to make this interesting instead of using it as just another opportunity to be complete dick heads. ---
**Author:** ![Gotlift](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9fc348/32.png) [@Gotlift](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gotlift)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-governments-of-the-world-right-about-aliens-causing-mass-hysteria/735379/30 "2015-10-21T20:19:31Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > You didn’t “cover” anything. Actually I did: > [@Gotlift](#): > > Certain eye witnesses give credibility to claims in my opinion. Especially witnesses who come out and have a lot to lose in terms of employment (civilian or military pilots, military officials) or affiliation (government officials, scientists, astronauts). I don’t know why I keep trying with you, but let me just try one more time: CZARCASM! IF ALIENS WERE VISITING EARTH AND THE GOVERNMENT ACKNOWLEDGED THEIR EXISTENCE WOULD THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT CAUSE MASS HYSTERIA? At this point I’m less interested in your opinion and more interested in whether you can answer a simple question without being obstinate or antagonizing. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-governments-of-the-world-right-about-aliens-causing-mass-hysteria/735379/31 "2015-10-21T20:21:05Z")
> [@Gotlift](#): > > Oh, sorry. I thought this was IMHO not, here is my argument and my rock solid, unshakable proof. Like I said, I am not trying to convince anyone one way or the other. I guess it would have been better to simply ask: If aliens existed would Government acknowledgment cause mass hysteria? Instead, I expressed my opinion (in a board presumably here for just that) and opened myself up to ridicule like nearly every other poster here. Should have figured it would take about a nanosecond for someone to get political. Thanks for the one or two of you who actually tried to make this interesting instead of using it as just another opportunity to be complete dick heads. 1. Nobody has asked you for “rock solid, unshakable proof”. Just the credible evidence you claimed you had at the start of this misadventure. 2. I doubt very much you wouldn’t make such claims if you weren’t here to convince us one way or the other. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-governments-of-the-world-right-about-aliens-causing-mass-hysteria/735379/32 "2015-10-21T20:24:42Z")
> [@Gotlift](#): > > Actually I did: > I don’t know why I keep trying with you, but let me just try one more time: > > CZARCASM! IF ALIENS WERE VISITING EARTH AND THE GOVERNMENT ACKNOWLEDGED THEIR EXISTENCE WOULD THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT CAUSE MASS HYSTERIA? > > At this point I’m less interested in your opinion and more interested in whether you can answer a simple question without being obstinate or antagonizing. It would depend on how the information was released. I can see how it would be possible to release such information gradually and not cause too much of a problem. edited to add: Please note that this new question has absolutely nothing to do with your original post or your poll. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-governments-of-the-world-right-about-aliens-causing-mass-hysteria/735379/33 "2015-10-21T20:26:06Z")
Eyewitness testimony is the least reliable of any kind of evidence. People are crazy. People are mistaken. People are impressionable. People are even outright liars. There is no objective, measurable, verifiable data anywhere to support extraterrestrial UFOs. This is simply a fact. I personally think the Fermi Paradox is best answered by assuming that there are not aliens, anywhere, but I’ll admit this is opinion rather than fact. As for “Are people ready to know?” This is one of the stupidest arguments from the conspiracy theory crowd. Mass hysteria makes no sense to me. I think revealing evidence of aliens would lead to the same kind of debates we’re having over global warming - some deniers at one extreme, some “sky is falling!” nuts at the other extreme, and in the middle a broad swath of general acceptance with mixed ideas about how, when and why to do something about it. Even if the mass hysteria is about the government coverups rather than aliens per se, I think real life whistle blowers like Edward Snowden have shown that revealing government malfeasance does not lead to mass hysteria. In fact, as the Snowden case illuminates, it rarely leads to anything at all, most of the time. So put me down as a vote for “They are not here, but we could handle the truth if they were.” ---
**Author:** ![Gotlift](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9fc348/32.png) [@Gotlift](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gotlift)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-governments-of-the-world-right-about-aliens-causing-mass-hysteria/735379/34 "2015-10-21T20:27:34Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > I believe aliens exist but I doubt they’ve come here or come anywhere else. I don’t think there is any warp drive or exploitable wormholes or tesseract-based interstellar travel available, and that there’s no interstellar confederation or empire or any of that shit. You check out the CERN’s Large Hadon Collider. I just read about one where they hope to make some sort of connection with an alternate universe. Seriously theoretical, quantum physics is mind blowing to say the least and a shit ton of money is invested in figuring these things out. ---
**Author:** ![Gotlift](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9fc348/32.png) [@Gotlift](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gotlift)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-governments-of-the-world-right-about-aliens-causing-mass-hysteria/735379/35 "2015-10-21T20:29:25Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > The thing that always amazes me about conspiracy theorists is that they assume that so many people will go to their graves keeping the secret. Clearly, if governments have the evidence, then a large number of people have to be involved in keeping the secret and not one of them has divulged it. Go right ahead believing it if it makes you happy. Quick google search. Plenty of Governments apparently haven’t kept it secret. [http://www.educatinghumanity.com/2011/01/list-of-countries-that-have-disclosed.html](http://www.educatinghumanity.com/2011/01/list-of-countries-that-have-disclosed.html) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-governments-of-the-world-right-about-aliens-causing-mass-hysteria/735379/36 "2015-10-21T20:29:52Z")
> [@Gotlift](#): > > You check out the CERN’s Large Hadon Collider. I just read about one where they hope to make some sort of connection with an alternate universe. Seriously theoretical, quantum physics is mind blowing to say the least and a shit ton of money is invested in figuring these things out. I’m sorry, but where did you read that they hope to use a Hadon Collider to contact an alternate universe? ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-governments-of-the-world-right-about-aliens-causing-mass-hysteria/735379/37 "2015-10-21T20:30:43Z")
If the government is suppressing info about aliens, it isn’t because it would cause mass hysteria it is because aliens would have superior technology that the government wanted to monopolize. If intelligent aliens exist and visit earth, then their tech would be the highest level of top secret as in the wrong hands it could let a tin pot dictator like mugabe take over the entire world. Also define government. There are 200 countries on earth, with various layers of government. The US has federal, state, County and city level government. To have them all agree L over the world to suppress info seems unlikely. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-governments-of-the-world-right-about-aliens-causing-mass-hysteria/735379/38 "2015-10-21T20:33:41Z")
> [@Gotlift](#): > > Quick google search. Plenty of Governments apparently haven’t kept it secret. > [http://www.educatinghumanity.com/2011/01/list-of-countries-that-have-disclosed.html](http://www.educatinghumanity.com/2011/01/list-of-countries-that-have-disclosed.html) Check it out, folks-Woo Central for UFOlogists. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-governments-of-the-world-right-about-aliens-causing-mass-hysteria/735379/39 "2015-10-21T20:33:49Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > I believe aliens exist but I doubt they’ve come here or come anywhere else. I don’t think there is any warp drive or exploitable wormholes or tesseract-based interstellar travel available, and that there’s no interstellar confederation or empire or any of that shit. > > I’m willing to be wrong; I’ve been wrong before. But the “aliens have been here and the government is keeping it secret” folks seem to have a whole labyrinthine structure of beliefs ranging from what the extraterrestrials look like to what their intentions are to what kinds of interactions they’ve had with humans to what their starships look like and how they behave. And as far as I can tell, there’s not a whit of it for which there’s enough evidence to make it more likely that it is so than that it is not so. I’m not sure if they would be motivated, generational ships traveling at 10% the speed of light would colonize the galaxy in a couple million years. So even without warp travel, aliens could still colonize the stars. ---
**Author:** ![Gotlift](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9fc348/32.png) [@Gotlift](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gotlift)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-governments-of-the-world-right-about-aliens-causing-mass-hysteria/735379/40 "2015-10-21T20:37:39Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > 1. I doubt very much you wouldn’t make such claims if you weren’t here to convince us one way or the other. You just can’t help yourself can you? Trust me, I am under no illusion that I can convince anyone that aliens exist. I was simply interested in other people’s opinions. Weird, right? Mostly because I watched a show on youtube last night. I should have known I’d be dragged down someone’s self important, ranting rabbit hole, but I guess I’m glutton for punishment so I posted anyway. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-governments-of-the-world-right-about-aliens-causing-mass-hysteria/735379.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-governments-of-the-world-right-about-aliens-causing-mass-hysteria/735379.md?page=3)