Jose Caravaca Distortion Theory Redux

"From Wikipedia/Distortion"Our Spanish colleague and friend, UFO researcher Jose Antonio Caravaca, is bemused by my constant insistence that many UFO sightings and/or encounters are hallucinatory.He provided an explanation and "corrective" for my views the other day.I've reworked his e-mail to me -- English isn't his primary language (although he's more competent with my language than I am with his) -- so if there ends up being some confusion, the blame lies with me, not Jose.Here's what he sent me (my comments will follow):The Distortion theory argues that an unknown external agent uses the witness's psyche as the main source of documentation and reference in the "manufacture" of the contents and elements that come together in close encounters with UFOs, by forming a complex "holographic" type projection.However the external agent adds some of its "own" components creating a plot that can be tracked and detected in hundreds of different incidents.It is extremely interesting that, regardless of the external form of the "flying saucers"and almost infinite types of humanoids, they are delivered in repeated gestures and actions over and over again, as if all the extraterrestrial civilizations have conspired to display the same behavioral patterns.On many occasions the crews of UFOs are described with "objects" (sticks, guns, balls, etc.) in their hands shooting light rays at the unsuspecting witnesses, or the crews have their "spaceship" emit beams of light that immobilize or inconvenience observers.In this characteristic feature, we must add that basic recognizable archetypes are used by the external agent as the basis of design and development experience, which adds to the individual elements of each witness to form the close encounter.These resources are psychological mechanisms that supplement the assimilation and interpretation of the experience, in a context, however, that is seemingly bizarre and puzzling to the observer.Hence, on countless occasions, the alleged alien(s) present, in a surrounding terrain, a scenario of repairing their spacecraft, asking for help about where they are, or asking for water, along with other issues that are absurd, mundane, and ordinary.Almost all the above elements, including the indiscriminate use of the light beams, we find embedded in many UFO encounters, but the external agent adds unconscious components to incidents that are pertinent to each witness, which ensures that each experience is seemingly unique.But in the end, such experiences are only the result of a" mise en scene" of same repetitive patterns ( craft breakdown, exploration, reconnaissance, light rays, etc.) adapted to the personal and confidential knowledge of witnesses and formulated so that the theory of distortion might be called "oneiric creativity."The most sensible explanation is that the observations that ufologists have been labeling as close encounters with alien beings mask a type of unknown "psychological phenomenon" orchestrated by a external agent that uses the information in the psyche of the witnesses to "build" the experiences.The method of expression used by this unidentified external agent, is the distortion of our individual unconscious content, that unfolds before the viewer's eyes with an approach similar to the experience of dreaming, but controlling and delimiting these experiences so they follow the schemes of "extraterrestrial visitation, "which is the objective sought to be instilled.This will prevent the human psyche from "adding" or "contributing" too much material of especially inconsistent evidence, so that the human mind is errantly thought to be the originator of such experiences.If the external agent does not exercise this authority or control over the mental creation in the gestation of close encounters, the witness would "see" members of his own family, friends, or even their favorite actor.In summary, the distortion theory suggests that close encounters with UFOs and their crews, are the result of a "shared mental creation" between a external agent and the unconscious mind of witnesses.Therefore, the meaning, purpose or impact of these experiences is to be found in the field of psychology.Despite all this, we are not dealing, however, with a purely psychological phenomenon that is limited to the mental universe.By contrast, the Distortion Theory states that the external agent is able to create "ephemeral material" to give some corporeality to sightings and reinforce the belief that these phenomena are "real" and "physical".JAC I think Jose's "theory" has merit, but I keep asking him to define his "external agent."When I asked if it was God, Satan, or Alien Beings, he replied it was an unknown element.I told him that he had to bite the bullet and provide a definition or explanation of who or what the "external agent" is.Jacques Vallee, Mac Tonnies, and others have posited a "force" or entities that are responsible for UFO encounters and other paranormal visions.Oliver Sacks has provided information in his most recent book, HALLUCINATIONS, that forces me to consider many UFO sightings as hallucinatory in nature, including some of the iconic encounters: Arnold's, the Hills', Travis Walton's episode, the Pascagoula event, and many others.Jose, while accepting a psychological patina for his Distortion Theory, insists that the psychology is not inherently neurological (from within the witnesses) but induced by his external agent as a mechanism useful for the external agent's purposes.But what is that purpose I ask?Jose and I are open to suggestions from our visitors here. And we engage in our oppositional discussion with bonhomie and good will.RR