Valley ready to step away from the UFO field?

Jacques Vallee: The Software of Consciousness and the Secret (Psychic) History of the World Wide Web – The Daily Grail

But perhaps the most shocking (yet hardly surprising) thing Dr. Vallee said in his presentation was in response to a question from the audience, with regards to the topic for which he’s most famous for: UFOs. When asked about his opinion on the current situation in the field of ufology, he revealed he’s in the process of shipping *all* of his former research into the care of two institutions for archival and safe-keeping purposes. “I want to go out to do something else” he stated to an audibly gasping audience, making it clear how even though he’ll forever remain interested in the phenomenon of unidentified flying objects and close encounters with non human entities, he’s ultimately disappointed with how ufology remains “too superficial to really get into the roots of the problem” and wishes to spend the remainder of his life on more fruitful endeavours.

Wade said:

Jacques Vallee: The Software of Consciousness and the Secret (Psychic) History of the World Wide Web – The Daily Grail

But perhaps the most shocking (yet hardly surprising) thing Dr. Vallee said in his presentation was in response to a question from the audience, with regards to the topic for which he’s most famous for: UFOs. When asked about his opinion on the current situation in the field of ufology, he revealed he’s in the process of shipping *all* of his former research into the care of two institutions for archival and safe-keeping purposes. “I want to go out to do something else” he stated to an audibly gasping audience, making it clear how even though he’ll forever remain interested in the phenomenon of unidentified flying objects and close encounters with non human entities, he’s ultimately disappointed with how ufology remains “too superficial to really get into the roots of the problem” and wishes to spend the remainder of his life on more fruitful endeavours.

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Does this mean he will no longer be in the employ of Robert Bigelow?

That is a very good question and it didn't seem to come up in the convention but I will bring it up w/him and see if he responds (RPJ)

i see no problem with it, he deserves a good rest after gifting the UFO community with his groundbreaking research

Wade said:

That is a very good question and it didn't seem to come up in the convention but I will bring it up w/him and see if he responds (RPJ)

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could you bring RPJ here? he is a pretty interesting guy

Wade said:

Jacques Vallee: The Software of Consciousness and the Secret (Psychic) History of the World Wide Web – The Daily Grail

But perhaps the most shocking (yet hardly surprising) thing Dr. Vallee said in his presentation was in response to a question from the audience, with regards to the topic for which he’s most famous for: UFOs. When asked about his opinion on the current situation in the field of ufology, he revealed he’s in the process of shipping *all* of his former research into the care of two institutions for archival and safe-keeping purposes. “I want to go out to do something else” he stated to an audibly gasping audience, making it clear how even though he’ll forever remain interested in the phenomenon of unidentified flying objects and close encounters with non human entities, he’s ultimately disappointed with how ufology remains “too superficial to really get into the roots of the problem” and wishes to spend the remainder of his life on more fruitful endeavours.

Click to expand...

I don't blame him but I suspect if he does leave he will be back again - seems to be the nature of the field. I think it is one of those subjects that is so frustrating you get burned out on even hearing about it after a while. I have always been interested but have had my own periods when I "left" and I'm only an observer, not a researcher and academic like Vallee - he likely has real stress to deal with when it comes to his involvement.

The problem is Ufology is a very taxing field of research. It's almost never funded and has to be privately supported usually out of pocket. It's like the legitimate governments don't really care to invest in such research. That's not to say programs like these aren't worth the private investments, Or that people who love the field can't support them, It's just these are very conservative times, even the wealthiest people know the value of money in these stressed times, It's hard to spend money on research that isn't absolutely vital in such times as these. I feel this modern economy and the political environment has affected ufology greatly.

"too superficial to really get into the roots of the problem" and "I want to go out to do something else"

Hard to argue with that. Sometimes people just blurt out exactly what they are really thinking without the benefit of liquor. He's been at it a hell of a long time, let the man go fishing or antiquing or whatever.

Not sure what 'ufology' IS exactly.

For every one person who has selected some angle interesting to them and then actually invested time and resources following up on it there are ____ who are ... well ... whatever. They drown out the minority who actually take it seriously and virtually eliminate the chances that any serious research might be accepted by the general public. The tongue in cheek attitude of news outlets, the X-Files music and stupid flying saucer graphics are a reflection of the carnival atmosphere that surrounds the topic. Look at how UFO conventions are portrayed. The average person will see that and never stop to consider that just maybe someone inside giving a lecture could possibly have something uncrazy to say. It's like expecting someone to present their dissertation at a Star Trek convention.

I used to have to go to a farm and pick up eggs by the box truck load and remember the overwhelming noise and stench of gigantic coops. Ufology is having to sort through all that to find some particular handful.

Minus the bazillion dollars you might Bigelow right here talking about it like the rest of us. If I had the interest and those kinds of resources I'd probably keep ufology at arm's length too out of necessity.

I may have to go paint something just so I can watch it dry. It'll give me something to do. Just for a laugh I thought this might be a spot to post this excerpt from something I wrote a while ago for a different purpose:


When I was in the 6th grade in the mid-70's we used to make a weather report every day. We’d take readings from the barometer, anemometer, thermometer, estimate cloud cover etc. and then by rotation one of us would go down to the principal’s office. I still remember the rotary dial phone with the six big plastic buttons across the bottom. We’d speak to the DJ at the local AM radio station and after he asked us about ourselves we’d give the daily weather forecast. When he asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up I told him “a UFO-ologist.” No doubt a novel response; he said he thought someone was just “laying a term on me.” Well, if he had it all figured out he wouldn’t have had a job that required talking to me in the first place, would he? Oh, and this exchange was broadcast over the school PA as they all were. As an obese nerd I was already acquainted with ridicule; talk about handing my tormentors a big stick to whack me with. As if the iron-on Star Trek t-shirts weren’t enough.