The Existence of Extraterrestrials in Modern Culture
Gianni Perez
Aliens have always been an obsessive figment of human imagination. From films, comics, novels, and documentaries, aliens have been on our minds for quite some time. Since the first movie about aliens released in 1902 titled, A Trip to the Moon, the mythos of aliens has grown alongside modern culture. The first films about extraterrestrials depicted them as brainless, primitive, “little green men,” whose only goal was to terrorize Earth. However, today’s films present audiences with the antithesis: intelligent, inventive aliens that look less human and more like unconventional life forms—creatures that hope to connect with Earth.
What caused this change?
Now, scientists have enough knowledge to deduce that aliens would not look anything like us—debunking the “little green men” notion. Scientists also argue that aliens would be far more technologically advanced than us. Most stars formed billions of years before our sun; if aliens do exist, their civilizations would be much older than ours—therefore more advanced. Thanks to the development of CGI, aliens are depicted more “realistically” in films, appearing less humanlike and more foreign. Extraterrestrials are also being presented as friendly, rather than enemies that want to take over Earth.
Aliens making an appearance
The fascination with aliens has recently reached a peak and excited conspiracy theorists everywhere. Between the Area 51 raid in 2020 and countless UFO sightings, the possibility of other life forms in our vast galaxy has grown.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, UFO sightings have risen significantly. The National U.F.O Reporting Center stated that there were about 7,200 alleged UFO sightings in 2020 alone. The most rational explanation for this: with more time at home due to COVID-19, Americans scanning the skies may mistake objects for UFOs.
In April of 2021, the Defense Department confirmed that footage of an unknown aircraft in the sky was a mystery. The inexplicable aircraft looked similar to a UFO. The Pentagon recently formed a task force to examine and investigate sightings such as this one. The government’s acknowledgement of possible UFOs added fuel to alien conspiracy theories. It seemingly confirmed the possibility of other life forms in the galaxy, convincing alien enthusiasts that extraterrestrials do exist.
The fascination with cosmic life forms
Humans are fascinated with aliens because we do not want to be the only sentient beings in the galaxy. Being the only life forms in an extremely large universe is a lonely thought. Aliens give birth to a hopeful belief we can be conjoined with a different species and that there is more to space than us. Also, who wouldn’t want to have E.T. as their best friend?
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