Thank you so much Meredith. I am not a writer, I think and feel about these things, to myself and to those I trust, and honestly sometimes perfect strangers ha ha.
When you publish these essays, I really see how important this kind of writing is. It helps clarify the point. It helps connect the many dots. It helps point us in new directions, or ones we forgot.
Thank you for putting yourself out there and sharing it with us.
One other thing - I am an artist and your use of real art makes my heart sing. I see your respect for what many artists try to do when we create. We try to listen, to that unknowable, and get it down so we can see it in front of us, to try to explain or understand. I really appreciate that you see us. Not that I get it right ever - but seeing the art you include here, makes me want to paint. XO
Excellent post Meredith Bravo! This is the first I've heard that Neil deGrasse Tyson is writing a UFO book and really this makes my blood boil for the very reasons you outline. First he mocks without any attempt to understand the subject and now that its convenient he is going to capitalise on it. Gross.
Another outstanding post Meredith, thank you for this.
I will not be buying his book... Neil deGrasse Tyson has done a poor job of carrying on the legacy of Carl Sagan. He is close-minded, arrogant, and incredibly condescending. He is completely lacking in any sense of basic humility, self-criticism and is generally a complete turnoff. He lacks imagination and absolutely does not inspire his listeners to peruse the sciences. In effect, his messy, argumentative approach and hostile tone undermines his ability to effectively communicate with audiences. He prioritizes the entertainment value of his public statements over scientific accuracy.
Sagan on the other hand was a poet and an intellectual that inspired wonder and a sense of endless possibility both in his books and lectures. Sagan was a passionate advocate for scientific literacy and the importance of communicating science to the public. Unlike Tyson, Sagan believed in making science accessible and engaging to a broad audience. His books, such as "The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark," continue to be highly regarded for their exploration of critical thinking, skepticism, and the value of scientific inquiry.
Sagan's enthusiasm for science and his ability to convey complex ideas in an understandable way inspired many individuals to pursue careers in science. His impact as a science communicator and educator continues to resonate with subsequent generations of scientists and science enthusiasts to this day. Sagan's legacy and his impact on science communication and public understanding of science remain significant even years after his passing. Sagan will be remembered for decades to come, Tyson on the other hand will not be and he has no one to blame but himself.
I’m thinking they should take a lesson from linguistics, where native informants are the gold standard. If a Midwesterner says that merry, marry, and Mary all sound the same, the interviewer doesn’t call them sub-literate but takes it as useful evidence of vowel shifts in a particular dialect. Or if an informant says two words are different, the interviewer accepts that even if they themself can’t hear the subtle distinction. In the same way, experiencers should always be the bottom line on their experiences.
On there experience yes, on the noumena behind the phenomena not necessarily. I believe in the phenomena but for me at least the reality behind the phenomena is open to question. The phenomena lies and cannot be trusted.
Beautiful and on point. I wonder if Tyson was/is even familiar with Mack and his seminal work and legacy? You're so right, Mack was the template. Unparalleled. Put everything on the line. At one time I put David Jacobs up there, in the early era of 'Secret Life.’ But he remained fringe. And was later accused of leading and distorting through hypnosis at least one experiencer’s account to fit his own narrative. Then fell into myopic paranoia, seeing all visitors as negative polarity/nefarious, self-serving. But I digress. And I agree. Tyson’s carpetbagging. Interloping. Inevitable I suppose. If not him, someone/others always willing to position themselves as resident experts and/or true believers when the cultural wind blows in the direction of acceptance. We as a society writ large still don’t recognize or value true independence, integrity, courage. Just look at our political system. Corrupt to the bone marrow. And we keep electing snakes, if only because that’s who’s attracted to the podium. I digress again. Incredible work. Keep speaking it while there’s still some semblance of free speech. It troubles me deeply that the whistle of the whistleblower seems to be a death rattle. But that’s true conviction and courage in action. I try my best to put my money where my mouth is, sharing openly and publicly that I incorporate theurgy and channeling as a licensed therapist. That my co-therapists are Divine sources of God consciousness (Christos-Sophia frequency) including angelics, ascended masters, occasionally galactic soul family guides (Mantis, Arcturains, Pleiadians). John Mack was my primordial inspiration for not remaining in the closet once this all began in my world. Sorry for the length, caught me caffeinated. Keep up the great work 🙏
Thank you for addressing this, Meredith. I'm a lifelong experiencer going back to a close encounter that I had when I was seven. I have always been open about what I have experienced, but it wasn't like I was looking for opportunities to share everything that's happened to me.
That changed somewhat when the NYT article came out in 2017. From that point on I have been more assertive in my defense of the reality of the phenomenon. People like Neil DeGrasse Tyson are unworthy of even being considered an authority on this topic.
You make excellent points throughout - especially about experiencers being the real authorities on this topic. Going through my whole life hearing people who literally knew nothing about it expound on it like they were experts when I knew that I knew much more about it than they did was exasperating at best.
Now, we have an opportunity to share what we know with those who might be interested, but people like Neil DeGrasse Tyson are still here to cash in on what they literally don't know. That seems to be part of an even bigger problem with America as a whole that we are all now sadly becoming aware of - people who have been put up to us as leaders and authorities who are just simply grifters and frauds looking to profit while many of us who do actually know what we're talking about have been marginalized, if not worse.
As a non-experiencer I really appreciate this honest take on how things are going.
It sounds like experiencers have been living through a long time of gaslighting and now with disclosure a new era of previous gaslighters monetizing contact. Similar to the psychedelic renaissance 2.0.
Thank you for pointing out Neil deGrasse Tyson’s inability to see and communicate the truth. dismissal of UFO experiences feels less like honest skepticism and more like a calculated move to grow his audience by avoiding uncomfortable truths. That kind of blunt clarity is rare.
More than needed, more than articulate, more than appreciated, and so glad you reference John Mack. His work is singly the most clear reason that convinced me to lean into my experiences, discover their truths, and be open to the process of coming forward. His was the catalyst for change. Thank you for this piece. Now I don't have to write this (lol) as this topic has been heavy on my mind lately. Everyone who have not been where we have now scrambling for attention to be the expert and get views, subs, like, etc. Hopefully this is read. Can't wait to hear NDT's reply next.
NDT is still mocking the topic. Check out yesterday's Night Shift episode where Clint reacts to a longer NDT interview.
First, he seems to have reconsidered the possibility of NHI, but it's soon very clear he's only selling his book and he's heartily laughing at the whole thing just like always.
Thank you for this timely post, Meredith. I used to grind my teeth when Tyson would dismiss UFOs and abductions, and now he is on board as if he were into ETs since childhood. I believe him, of course, because how could anyone as smart as he is not have been interested as a kid in whether another form of life is visiting us? A certain amount of courage—or whatever--is needed to speak out about the issue as an adult, especially if it somehow related to your professional life. Two Harvard astrophysicists worked with John Mack’s abduction research. One of them, whom I met during one of several trips to meet with John Mack during the 1990s, has recently coauthored a peer-reviewed paper suggesting that plasma may be responsible for many (but not all!) UFO sightings. Very interesting. When I was a tenured full professor of philosophy at Tulane years ago, there was no excuse for me NOT to examine the abduction phenomenon, whose implications are so massive. So I published two peer-reviewed essays on the topic, but never heard a word from anyone about it. I admit to being disappointed in academic philosophers for not having addressed the UFO phenomenon, which raises so many sophisticated and vital problems right up the alley of philosophers. Most of us do a lot of self-censoring, but doing so is often based on mistaken assumptions. In fact, a lot people probably share the same concerns and interests, but are too timid or worried to speak up. Be brave and thoughtful!
This phenomenon exists across subjects. Anything first dismissed, once shown to have merit, will have "Very Serious People" attempt to frame those who brought it from obscurity to mainstream as unfit to lead the movement now and attempt to put themselves in charge. An epistemic mugging.
Thank you so much Meredith. I am not a writer, I think and feel about these things, to myself and to those I trust, and honestly sometimes perfect strangers ha ha.
When you publish these essays, I really see how important this kind of writing is. It helps clarify the point. It helps connect the many dots. It helps point us in new directions, or ones we forgot.
Thank you for putting yourself out there and sharing it with us.
One other thing - I am an artist and your use of real art makes my heart sing. I see your respect for what many artists try to do when we create. We try to listen, to that unknowable, and get it down so we can see it in front of us, to try to explain or understand. I really appreciate that you see us. Not that I get it right ever - but seeing the art you include here, makes me want to paint. XO
Thank you for your kind words! And I agree about art. Words are futile devices, and art says what we can't!
Excellent post Meredith Bravo! This is the first I've heard that Neil deGrasse Tyson is writing a UFO book and really this makes my blood boil for the very reasons you outline. First he mocks without any attempt to understand the subject and now that its convenient he is going to capitalise on it. Gross.
Another outstanding post Meredith, thank you for this.
I will not be buying his book... Neil deGrasse Tyson has done a poor job of carrying on the legacy of Carl Sagan. He is close-minded, arrogant, and incredibly condescending. He is completely lacking in any sense of basic humility, self-criticism and is generally a complete turnoff. He lacks imagination and absolutely does not inspire his listeners to peruse the sciences. In effect, his messy, argumentative approach and hostile tone undermines his ability to effectively communicate with audiences. He prioritizes the entertainment value of his public statements over scientific accuracy.
Sagan on the other hand was a poet and an intellectual that inspired wonder and a sense of endless possibility both in his books and lectures. Sagan was a passionate advocate for scientific literacy and the importance of communicating science to the public. Unlike Tyson, Sagan believed in making science accessible and engaging to a broad audience. His books, such as "The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark," continue to be highly regarded for their exploration of critical thinking, skepticism, and the value of scientific inquiry.
Sagan's enthusiasm for science and his ability to convey complex ideas in an understandable way inspired many individuals to pursue careers in science. His impact as a science communicator and educator continues to resonate with subsequent generations of scientists and science enthusiasts to this day. Sagan's legacy and his impact on science communication and public understanding of science remain significant even years after his passing. Sagan will be remembered for decades to come, Tyson on the other hand will not be and he has no one to blame but himself.
I’m thinking they should take a lesson from linguistics, where native informants are the gold standard. If a Midwesterner says that merry, marry, and Mary all sound the same, the interviewer doesn’t call them sub-literate but takes it as useful evidence of vowel shifts in a particular dialect. Or if an informant says two words are different, the interviewer accepts that even if they themself can’t hear the subtle distinction. In the same way, experiencers should always be the bottom line on their experiences.
On there experience yes, on the noumena behind the phenomena not necessarily. I believe in the phenomena but for me at least the reality behind the phenomena is open to question. The phenomena lies and cannot be trusted.
Beautiful and on point. I wonder if Tyson was/is even familiar with Mack and his seminal work and legacy? You're so right, Mack was the template. Unparalleled. Put everything on the line. At one time I put David Jacobs up there, in the early era of 'Secret Life.’ But he remained fringe. And was later accused of leading and distorting through hypnosis at least one experiencer’s account to fit his own narrative. Then fell into myopic paranoia, seeing all visitors as negative polarity/nefarious, self-serving. But I digress. And I agree. Tyson’s carpetbagging. Interloping. Inevitable I suppose. If not him, someone/others always willing to position themselves as resident experts and/or true believers when the cultural wind blows in the direction of acceptance. We as a society writ large still don’t recognize or value true independence, integrity, courage. Just look at our political system. Corrupt to the bone marrow. And we keep electing snakes, if only because that’s who’s attracted to the podium. I digress again. Incredible work. Keep speaking it while there’s still some semblance of free speech. It troubles me deeply that the whistle of the whistleblower seems to be a death rattle. But that’s true conviction and courage in action. I try my best to put my money where my mouth is, sharing openly and publicly that I incorporate theurgy and channeling as a licensed therapist. That my co-therapists are Divine sources of God consciousness (Christos-Sophia frequency) including angelics, ascended masters, occasionally galactic soul family guides (Mantis, Arcturains, Pleiadians). John Mack was my primordial inspiration for not remaining in the closet once this all began in my world. Sorry for the length, caught me caffeinated. Keep up the great work 🙏
Thank you for addressing this, Meredith. I'm a lifelong experiencer going back to a close encounter that I had when I was seven. I have always been open about what I have experienced, but it wasn't like I was looking for opportunities to share everything that's happened to me.
That changed somewhat when the NYT article came out in 2017. From that point on I have been more assertive in my defense of the reality of the phenomenon. People like Neil DeGrasse Tyson are unworthy of even being considered an authority on this topic.
You make excellent points throughout - especially about experiencers being the real authorities on this topic. Going through my whole life hearing people who literally knew nothing about it expound on it like they were experts when I knew that I knew much more about it than they did was exasperating at best.
Now, we have an opportunity to share what we know with those who might be interested, but people like Neil DeGrasse Tyson are still here to cash in on what they literally don't know. That seems to be part of an even bigger problem with America as a whole that we are all now sadly becoming aware of - people who have been put up to us as leaders and authorities who are just simply grifters and frauds looking to profit while many of us who do actually know what we're talking about have been marginalized, if not worse.
As a non-experiencer I really appreciate this honest take on how things are going.
It sounds like experiencers have been living through a long time of gaslighting and now with disclosure a new era of previous gaslighters monetizing contact. Similar to the psychedelic renaissance 2.0.
Thank you for pointing out Neil deGrasse Tyson’s inability to see and communicate the truth. dismissal of UFO experiences feels less like honest skepticism and more like a calculated move to grow his audience by avoiding uncomfortable truths. That kind of blunt clarity is rare.
More than needed, more than articulate, more than appreciated, and so glad you reference John Mack. His work is singly the most clear reason that convinced me to lean into my experiences, discover their truths, and be open to the process of coming forward. His was the catalyst for change. Thank you for this piece. Now I don't have to write this (lol) as this topic has been heavy on my mind lately. Everyone who have not been where we have now scrambling for attention to be the expert and get views, subs, like, etc. Hopefully this is read. Can't wait to hear NDT's reply next.
This is so good on so many levels.
NDT is still mocking the topic. Check out yesterday's Night Shift episode where Clint reacts to a longer NDT interview.
First, he seems to have reconsidered the possibility of NHI, but it's soon very clear he's only selling his book and he's heartily laughing at the whole thing just like always.
I got a bit emotional reading this. Your anger is justified, your reasoning is sound, your writing is beautiful. Thank you for what you're doing.
Another excellent one - Thank you.
Thank you for this timely post, Meredith. I used to grind my teeth when Tyson would dismiss UFOs and abductions, and now he is on board as if he were into ETs since childhood. I believe him, of course, because how could anyone as smart as he is not have been interested as a kid in whether another form of life is visiting us? A certain amount of courage—or whatever--is needed to speak out about the issue as an adult, especially if it somehow related to your professional life. Two Harvard astrophysicists worked with John Mack’s abduction research. One of them, whom I met during one of several trips to meet with John Mack during the 1990s, has recently coauthored a peer-reviewed paper suggesting that plasma may be responsible for many (but not all!) UFO sightings. Very interesting. When I was a tenured full professor of philosophy at Tulane years ago, there was no excuse for me NOT to examine the abduction phenomenon, whose implications are so massive. So I published two peer-reviewed essays on the topic, but never heard a word from anyone about it. I admit to being disappointed in academic philosophers for not having addressed the UFO phenomenon, which raises so many sophisticated and vital problems right up the alley of philosophers. Most of us do a lot of self-censoring, but doing so is often based on mistaken assumptions. In fact, a lot people probably share the same concerns and interests, but are too timid or worried to speak up. Be brave and thoughtful!
one day there will be a vast class action suit
This phenomenon exists across subjects. Anything first dismissed, once shown to have merit, will have "Very Serious People" attempt to frame those who brought it from obscurity to mainstream as unfit to lead the movement now and attempt to put themselves in charge. An epistemic mugging.