But conferences, despite being great fun, are largely a thing of the past, a holdover from a bygone era, i.e. before the Internet (thank you, Al Gore!). They also require travel, unless you live in a town that holds one, like Las Vegas, or Laughlin, or Gaithersburg, which can be a problem for younger people, most of whom are presumably cash-strapped students.
Another problem can be the Ivory Tower world that some ufologists live in. Many eschew the Internet, and the world of blogs and message boards and the like. When they do interact with younger folks, they often come across as know-it-alls, with little patience for questions or other ways of thinking.
But despite this, there is an entire community of young people out there who are fascinated by UFOs, and eager to learn more. One shining example, of whom you will hear more in the near future in Alien Worlds Magazine, is Brittany Babakioff, a young music student from British Columbia who is both interested in and knowledgeable about the subject of UFOs, and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. Brittany is aces in my book, but she's not the only one - I remember when John Greenewald Jr. was knee-high to a grasshopper, and he's made quite the name for himself in the last few years. Mac Tonnies is only a couple of years over 30, which means he would be a runner in Logan's Run, but he's still plenty young in the real world. And there are many, many more, such as "Revan", a teenager who was a member of the old UFO Planet forum. You just won't find them hanging out at UFO Updates, or a MUFON Conference. Instead, you'll find them where their generation feels most at home - on-line, chatting up a storm, asking questions, and generally being passionate about a subject that more than a few older ufologists seem to take for granted these days.
Newsflash - the times they are a changin', ufology... and the kids are alright!
Paul Kimball
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