Not too long ago, I was chatting with someone about UFOs, and they asked me if I would ever consider hoaxing some sort of UFO event. I thought about it for a second, and said, "absolutely".For profit? Nope (any money made would go to charity). Instead, I would do it, maybe someday, to prove a point.
When might it happen? Probably on the day when I've finally heard so much stupidity and silliness with respect to the UFO subject that I couldn't take it anymore. I don't see that day coming anytime soon, but one never knows...
I certainly have the means, knowledge and ability to pull off a hoax. Given my education, training and background, it would probably be along the lines of some MJ-12 style documents, followed by a major media blitz. But who knows - maybe some clever pyro tricks of light, and a faked film? Or maybe... well, let's not give it all away.
Unlike other hoaxers, such as Billy Meier, or George Adamski, or Silas Newton, or Ray Santilli, or Rick Doty, I would quickly reveal all (I would also do a much better job). What fun is a hoax without a "gotcha" moment? Only wackos or disinformation agents keep it going ad infinitum.
So, what would be the point, you ask? First, to see if it could succeed with the selcted target (see below re: the initial target); second, to show that even after a hoax has been perpetrated, and then admitted by the perpetrator, it will live on... because I can guarantee you that even after I fessed up, there would still be people who would believe it was real, and that I had been made to recant.
Especially because I would never reveal how I did it, just that I did. Like a good magician, one should always leave them guessing.
Now, the only question is who would I target - the true believers, or the fundamentalist debunkers?
Easy answer - the fundies. The true believers would be like shooting fish in a barrell, and what fun is that? A fundamentalist debunker would be a much bigger challenge, and hence a much bigger reward!
Besides, the true believers will be there long after the hoax is over, keeping it alive, until the end of time.
Now, just in case anyone wants to get all huffy and self-righteous about the fact that I would even consider this, I can tell you that you would be surprised how often this topic gets bandied about by people who research the UFO phenomenon, and how many of them agree with me, and for the same reasons.
In short, trust no one. ;-)
Paul Kimball
