by Joe Matthews

Created on: December 18, 2008   Last Updated: January 20, 2009

Carl Sagan suggested it was naive- chauvanistic to deny altogether the possibility of space foreigners. If we're here, and our scientists seem to suggest it's awfully unlikely, then why not newer and older civilizations than ours? Everything is plausible. Of course we're suspicious of others' authority to speak on something we don't know about. But we're also suggestible if conversion can be made attractive, lucrative, or puts us in good company.

As goes the 'Are We Alone?' community, I think we're all interested. Outer space, the unknown, vast, unexplored, potentially crowded interstellar commute, all space ships and mylar-the tiny dresses on the space girls? Forget about it. We're already interested in space. But we see a lot of people going to great lengths to demonstrate their indifference to the result of the argument. They've sacrificed and suffered in the cause of delivering their message, selflessly working to disseminate what the government isn't telling you. And they think you should Know. Is it so compelling it will cause me to DO something besides watch the alien case file shows on cable?

For example, I've been told Flax Seed Oil is the best thing for you. I don't believe it, but someone like Dr. Oz might give it more credibility. If it would give me a buzz, I'd try it. If it would make us astoundingly virile, I bet we'd all be eating flax. The issue of credibility rests in part on whether or not the teller has an interest in convincing you, whether or not they can interest you. Cult of Personality may lead me to believe Dr. Oz's. I don't think he has secret stakes in a flax farm, and I'm interested in that buzz or the boost. But knowledge? If the goal is to simply inform me that flax seed oil exists and lends no advantage to claimaint or audience, that suggests the promoter has some hidden motive. (I do value useless knowledge- I majored in it. I'm talking big picture.)

We know the government isn't telling us everything. They aren't saying how Dick Cheney spent his budget, or how many illegal aliens are in North America. But they aren't telling me how many legal aliens, tourists and passers-through are on US soil either. Why would they hide it- or what would they lose by sharing the information? How could that info help our opponents? We could just blast them all from our space copters. See, we've made contact, and we've reverse-engineered their technology.

I wonder whether the government is capable of 'knowing' anything. Are we to assume the aliens

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