Thermostat of Belief: Vallée's Dual-Mechanism Theory of UFO Sightings as a Consciousness Control System

To the point

Jacques Vallée argues that UFOs are a dual mechanism based on two opposing principles to influence human consciousness, not space visitation, blending rational and absurd elements to sway witnesses and public perception, using deliberate absurdity and disinformation-like tactics that slowly condition belief like a Skinner‑Ferster reinforcement schedule, implying mastery would require aims beyond force and that the phenomenon may teach through myth-making and guided problem-solving rather than direct contact, a notion echoed by Arthur C. Clarke's magic analogy.