Question It All - writercize #33 (A to Z 17)

One of the greatest gifts we have as humans is the ability to question, to investigate, to expound on our curiosity.  It is a gift that we may choose to ignore at times (ever heard the phrases "ignorance is bliss" or "curiosity killed the cat?") but it is an important part of thinking critically.  Critical thinking allows us to search for meaning, to evaluate the veracity of statements, to understand what lies beyond a study or a news story, to balance fact and fiction.  It also allows us to ignore fact in favor of fiction knowing full well what we are doing.

Questioning the contents of a news report, whether it be with a comment on a social network such as Facebook or Twitter, a comment on a news sites web page, or a real deal letter to the editor of a magazine or newspaper, encourages community interaction and dialogue.  It gives a voice to the reader and allows for an exchange of thoughts and ideas that is important in a functioning society.

Questioning the government or authority can certainly lead to difficulties at times (I especially don't recommend questioning TSA and their methods too much while getting through airport security - could mean dire consequences for a traveler trying to catch a flight), but investigation is a necessary check in the balance of power.  I would say that good investigation is often best left to question along the way, rather than seek proof or support for a theory.  

For example, lawyers must work off a theory - that a person is guilty or innocent depending on whether they are working for the prosecution or defense - and find documentation to support that theory.  The judge, on the other hand, must evaluate all of the evidence on equal footing to determine a fair and just verdict.  The curious citizen, or the journalist, should be that judge.  Searching for information to support a theory can lead to (at least) two problematic endings - 1/ blinders regarding opposing information, even if it is more valid and 2/ conspiracy theories.  I won't go into conspiracy theories now, because that's a topic for a whole other writercize, but I digress.

Here's one news report that I've decided to question this week.  (I should clarify - I'm not questioning the news report itself as it's just a scanned copy of the document - I am questioning the veracity of the document itself.)

This past week, the FBI released documents that had previously been hidden in "The Vault."  One of these documents, dated March 22, 1950, purportedly cites three flying saucers recovered in New Mexico, each approximately 50 feet in diameter, and each with three bodies of human shape but only three feet tall, dressed in a metallic uniform and "bandaged in a manner similar to the blackout suits used by speed flyers and test pilots."  The document goes on to state that "due to the fact that the Government has a very high-powered radar set-up in that area and it is believed the radar interferes with the controlling mechanism of the saucers."

writing exercise:  Select a recent news report that you are wary of.  In the comments section, please provide a URL leading to the story and then explain why you question it.  This is great practice at writing arguments, so be sure to acknowledge the story, address something that you appreciate about the writing (the style?  a particular paragraph?  sections of the story), and then dig in with the questioning.  Classic debate style.

(Click "read more" for writercizer sample response.)

writercizer response:

Once again, the summary of the news story along with the link:

This past week, the FBI released documents that had previously been hidden in "The Vault."  One of these documents, dated March 22, 1950, purportedly cites three flying saucers recovered in New Mexico, each approximately 50 feet in diameter, and each with three bodies of human shape but only three feet tall, dressed in a metallic uniform and "bandaged in a manner similar to the blackout suits used by speed flyers and test pilots."  The document goes on to state that "due to the fact that the Government has a very high-powered radar set-up in that area and it is believed the radar interferes with the controlling mechanism of the saucers."

My response:

While I am a firm believer that there is some form of intelligent life outside of the planet Earth, even life with the potential to travel between planets, I strongly challenge the FBI report about the three flying saucers recovered in New Mexico, each containing three human-like bodies dressed in uniform.  

Here are my primary problems with the report.  

1 - The report states that the life is human-like and dressed in a metallic uniform.  Of all of the different forms of life on this planet Earth, I think most people would agree that the closest being to a human-like form is the monkey, but the species on this planet vary from small ants to mice to elephants to giraffes to lions to birds to fish ...  Why is it that intelligent life in a small saucer visiting our planet would necessarily be human-like in form?  Beyond that - what is the probability of molecules appearing similar to those found on our planet on a different planet with different natural resources, light, metals, etc.?  I think relatively slim.  Then, there are the uniforms.  Nothing screams human being to me like the statement that they were in uniforms.  That is a quintessential human expression.  I feel as though the writer of the report is giving too many humanistic traits and characteristics to something supposedly from out of this world.

2 - The report states that the saucers are each approximately 50 feet in diameter.  Even if there were foreign, out-of-this world beings in flying saucers, 50 feet seems like an improbably small area for intergalactic travel.  One thing that every species on this planet does have in common is the need for nutrition, and thereafter digestion.  How would it be possible for three beings, each three feet tall, to travel through space for long periods of time without proper space and facilities necessary to live?

3 - The report goes on to state that because of high-powered government radar it is possible that the saucers were unable to control themselves.  Given, this is the author's opinion and he does not state it as fact.  However, my response to this section is simply - Radar?  Really?  These saucers supposedly traveled from a planet with life that we have never discovered (even now, with more advanced technology, 60 years into the future) between stars, by meteors and force fields, and had trouble running into a little bit of radar in New Mexico.  

So, sorry Guy Hottel, FBI writer, but this questioner just doesn't buy your story.  Why do I think it was written?  Perhaps in the cold war frenzy the US wanted to have a discovery under their belt, even a top secret one, to "prove" their scientific "superiority" to the Russians?  Perhaps Guy's job was to report anything that was reported to him and pass it on to superiors without challenging or questioning the information?  Perhaps he was forbid to filter information?  Whatever the reason, the story does not verify the governement's UFO reports for me.