Ever since the release of videos showing images of strangely behaving vehicles officially classified as "unidentified aerial phenomena" entered the public sphere in 2017, there has been a rising tide of public and even government interest in what have more commonly and historically been referred to as UFOs - unidentified flying objects. This rise in interest crescendoed in a DoD report delivered to Congress recently, which has resulted in further speculation here in the United States, and right around the world. Not surprisingly, the speculation tends to revolve around the nature and origin of these vehicles.

That said, when one pays close attention to the conversations that are being had, all around the world, one thing becomes clear, when the "non-human origin" possibility is breached, it is almost solely in the form of so-called extra-terrestrial visitors - i.e. physical beings who've travelled here from some far-flung star system in sophisticated spacecraft. In this sense, the conversation quickly jumps into the well-grooved category of "space aliens" which has been served up time and time again via our society's entertainment industry. The "space alien" notion in media is so ubiquitous now, in fact, that most people can't even consciously separate fact from fiction in their mind's eye anymore - as Diana Pasulka argued in her book American Cosmic.

But those of us who've studied the UFO Phenomenon in a dedicated and granular way have long realized that this familiar category - namely that of “space aliens” - may only represent one small piece of a much larger puzzle. Indeed, the revelations that inevitably arise from a close study of this phenomenon seemingly give birth to a whole new set of questions for every one that it - often only tentatively - answers.

Knowing that is the case, we might ask: is the general public ready for these revelations? Can they "handle the truth" - as complex and convoluted as it apparently is? And can they stomach entering into a conversation that has not yet served up clear, unequivocal answers, even after decades of underground study? Do they even have the attention-span to do so? Unlikely, I would argue, for vast swaths of the population, anyway.

Modern human societies are simply not accustomed to this degree of unclarity about the nature of reality. And make no mistake, that’s exactly where these revelations lead – to questions about the very fabric of all that exists, and to how it is all connected. The current models of reality will not only have to be revised as a result, but they will need to be re-categorized as understandings that only apply to micro-environments, seen at a certain, local level. That, in light of the totality of all that is, these notions are almost trite and simplistic.