Quote:
Originally Posted by Neverfly
Lastly, ok- some folks can get offended.
So, I'm sorry but- Big Deal!! You're nitpicking what he said just to blanket it over regular folks who may have seen something weird. Is this an attempt to claim victimization at all costs?
No one is going to go bankrupt or jump out of the window just because Hawking said UFO/Alien Visitor enthusiasts tend to be cranks and weirdos.
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I agree with this, especially the nitpicking detail.
Hawking was talking about
actual alien visits being only to cranks and weirdoes, in a throwaway remark. Crucially, he was talking about visitations [i]from the aliens' point of view[i].
As in, "Well here we are on Earth. Let's announce our presence. Shall we talk to the leaders, the scientists, the humanitarian workers, the news media? Nah, let's go and talk to those sad-looking anorak-wearing people on that isolated hill."
The "want to believe" type exist, and I think it's pretty clear that's what Hawking was talking about. He was
not talking about sensible people who say things like, "I saw something overhead and I couldn't tell what it was. For a moment, I must admit I wondered if it was an alien spacecraft."