1963: UFOs and Psychology

At this time, noted psychiatrist Dr Carl Jung had recently published Flying Saucers: A modern myth of things seen in the sky. This was the first book to treat UFOs as a social science - investigating why people believed in their existence and studying their dreams . Although its title suggests that Jung considered the matter to have no basis in reality, his book indicates otherwise. He confirmed this to a ufologist shortly before he died.

Nevertheless, Jung saw - years ahead of everyone - that UFO sightings comprised an objective stimulus and a process within the mind of the witness which filters and transforms the experience. Until then, the choice with UFOs was between mistaken identity and visitors from outer space. Now the first questions were being asked as to whether UFOs might originate from inner space.

On 14th December, as if in response to Jung's clarion call, Betty and Barney Hill found their way to Dr Benjamin Simon in Boston. Two years of conventional medical treatment had not removed their recurrent dreams about that night in 1961. They spent a great deal of their own money on frequent 200 mile round trips to see the psychiatrist and undergo regression hypnosis therapy.

Simon believed that by relieving a trauma you could help to cure it. He had no interest in UFOs. But nobody was prepared for what was to follow.

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed