The New York Times ran a major feature online on Saturday which will appear in print in the July 22 Sunday print edition covering Alien Con and the Ancient Aliens television show. While the article by Steven Kurutz pays lip service to the problems with the ancient astronaut theory, the overall thrust of the article is a celebration of the community that has formed around the Ancient Aliens television show. This was especially disappointing to me because Kurutz interviewed me at length several weeks ago for the piece, and he had told me that he planned to use my interview in the article to discuss the dark side of the ancient astronaut theory, including its ties to racist ideas and white nationalism, as well as the racist, anti-Semitic, and paranoid statements made by the show’s talking heads, including Erich von Däniken (who called Blacks a “failed” experiment), David Wilcock (who blamed the Jews for trying to kill him), and the late Jim Marrs (who alleged that the Jews and Obama were working together to destroy America). I did not make it into the piece, nor did any of the research material he asked me to provide about Ancient Aliens and the ancient astronaut theory. I wondered at first if I was cut from because I criticized the Times’ coverage of the Pentagon UFO program and To the Stars Academy of Arts and Sciences. I had identified conflicts of interest with article reporter Leslie Kean, a true believer and professional UFO advocate, as well as her coauthor, former Times reporter Ralph Blumenthal, who accused me of attempted libel and conspiracy theories. Kurutz emailed me late this evening to say that my interview was cut during editing, which shrank the article by 800 words. The editors, for whatever reason, dropped material about the dark side of the ancient astronaut theory. The Times, it seems, has a soft spot for space aliens and the billionaires and corporations who make money selling stories of them to the public. To that end, Kurutz (or, rather, the article as it turned out after the Times edited it) chose not to engage much with the ancient astronaut theory as an idea except to say it is essentially a faith beyond the need for evidence and instead looked at it as a pop cultural phenomenon. As a result, he soft-pedaled the dark side of conspiracy theories, dismissed critics as “naysayers,” and presented ancient astronaut believers as a bunch of loveable rogues. Consider, for example, the nearly worshipful way he describes Giorgio Tsoukalos: “He was dressed as he would be all weekend, in the khaki shirt and pants and sturdy leather boots of a field archaeologist, though in the strict academic sense, he has no such accreditation.” No, not the “strict academic sense”—in any sense. He holds a bachelor’s degree in sports information. He has never written a book, nor conducted any original research. (His ideas come from von Däniken, who provides them wholesale.) “It is not fancy credentials but the way he expresses gut beliefs that makes him compelling to viewers; that, and his hair.” Later, Kurutz says—on his own authority—that it is “unfair” to criticize Tsoukalos’s lack of credentials because “M.I.T. isn’t giving out Ph.D.s in ancient astronaut theory.” It gets worse, if that is possible, when Kurutz describes David Childress. “David Hatcher Childress, who gets nearly as much screen time as Mr. Tsoukalos, is a real-life Indiana Jones who climbs megalithic ruins in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley equipped with a brown felt hat and a notebook.” The only thing Childress has in common with Indiana Jones is that both play-act at being archaeologists on screen and have no respect for the cultures they ravage like bulls in a china shop. The description of Childress is taken nearly verbatim from Childress’s own press materials, which appear on the back of all his books. No mention is made of Ancient Aliens talking heads who have caused controversy. Sean David Morton was tried for an elaborate tax fraud scheme. David Wilcock appeared on Russian television to denounce America. Several have made racist or anti-Semitic statements. Kurutz declined to criticize the History Channel for airing anti-historical garbage—indeed the network’s role in promoting conspiracy theories is conveniently expunged—but he puts in some lucrative plugs for Berkeley Books’ upcoming rerelease of Chariots of the Gods, the forthcoming Baltimore edition of Alien Con, and other profit-making ventures. It wasn’t all bad, of course. The most important passage in the article is one that echoes what I have said as recently as yesterday, that Ancient Aliens is actually a show about Christian salvation history masquerading as a science program. Here is Kurutz describing, in loving detail, Ancient Aliens executive producer Kevin Burns’s rationale for the show’s existence: The invocation of religion is deliberate. In Mr. Burns’s view, “Ancient Aliens” succeeds because it explores spirituality and the mystery of life in an increasingly secular, data-driven culture. Like religion, it offers seekers an origin story. Tellingly, Kurutz lets that stand unchallenged. What does it say that our society and the New York Times are happy to accept the notion that awe and wonder are to be found in fakery and fraud because reality is simply too awful to contemplate undistorted by fantasy? When Kurutz interviews Ken Feder about the ancient astronaut theory, he is uninterested in the actual problems with the idea, or its dark side; instead, Kurutz focuses on the idea that “Mr. Feder wasn’t rooting against the ancient astronaut theorists finding hard proof.” Some of the incidental details are indescribably sad. Kurutz describes paranoiacs who believe that Ancient Aliens is being censored and that there are deeper revelations they can’t reveal. He quotes a woman who tells the ancient astronaut theorists that she is “indoctrinating” her kindergartener in the ancient astronaut theory so he won’t believe what the schools will try to teach him. He watches as an old woman collapses in tears upon meeting Tsoukalos, as though his touch were the healing hand of a medieval monarch. A disturbed audience member demanded to know why Ancient Aliens doesn’t try to attack “physics and math.” To his credit, Kurutz gives Feder the last word, to remind readers that human beings are more amazing and impressive than imaginary ancient astronauts might ever be. But the article was a huge missed opportunity, and it continues a disturbing trend of normalizing extreme and damaging points of view by casting them as legitimate and justified, rather than merely understandable. Understanding shouldn’t equate to endorsement, nor should America’s greatest newspaper use false equivalency and superficial balance to imply that those who profit handsomely from peddling dangerous lies are simply smiling, friendly cartoons. Note: Due to this special Saturday blog post, there will be no new blog post on Tuesday.
107 Comments
Riley V
7/21/2018 03:22:02 pm
Thank you.
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4/12/2019 05:30:11 pm
Your article fails to mention the history portrayed on Ancient Aliens. I have learned more about the history of the world than I ever learned in school.
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Uncle Ron
7/21/2018 03:25:10 pm
The Times has an agenda, as does most of the media, and it doesn't include asking people to think critically about what they tell us. If your comments had been used in the article it most likely would not have been to counter the major thrust of the article or provide a skeptical balance; rather it would have been to show that there are crackpots out there who are haters and deniers and just don't want people to be happy.
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E.P. Grondine
7/21/2018 04:08:34 pm
"David Hatcher Childress, who gets nearly as much screen time as Mr. Tsoukalos, is a real-life Indiana Jones who climbs megalithic ruins in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley equipped with a brown felt hat and a notebook.”
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Americanegro
7/21/2018 04:24:27 pm
Yeah, you've never posted that link before. No one cares to click on it, Chief.
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Oh Geesh…..This stuff is way too fast for me. But I do share Jason's sense of injustice when writers, explorers, TV talk show hosts, "docu" film producers and wanna-beees lay it on thick with the Indiana Jones hats, trekking boots, and whatever props will bolster their image as original researchers, explorers, et cetera. No real archaeologist in Egypt or Stonehenge or Machu Pichu needs those silly Hollywood props.. It's similar to Magdalene reincarnations appearing with red hair (dyed of course) to convince their audiences they are the real thing...every time I see women with red hair writing books about Magdalene, or men with "Indiana Jones" hats writing books about aliens at the pyramids....I know they are selling us their delusions, not facts..... I smile. Then turn the channel.
Cesar
7/21/2018 08:22:55 pm
Some people chose Arktos: the Polar Myth as the worst book cover in print history. They did not see the cover of 5/5/2000. Both were published by Adventures Unlimited Press. The difference is that Arktos is a good book and its publication by Adventures Unlimited was kind of a joke by Joscelyn Godwin.
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Americanegro
7/21/2018 04:22:20 pm
You're sounding like the only person who's ever been not included.
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7/21/2018 04:25:50 pm
It's hardly the first or only time I haven't been in something I was interviewed for (you don't hear about most because I don't tell you), but it was surprising because the reporter told both me and other people that I was going to be featured in the piece.
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Americanegro
7/21/2018 05:19:32 pm
It would be interesting to hear hwaet! words the reporter used. I always take contemporaneous notes. Living in a two party state I don't record. Or do I?
V
7/21/2018 04:47:05 pm
...okay, Mr.Kurutz, stop for a moment and use your goddamn brain. Not only is it not "unfair" to criticize fora lack of credentials because "MIT doesn't offer a degree in it," the fact that NO ACCREDITED INSTITUTION offers a degree in it is absolutely a reason why we SHOULD be criticizing!
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bezalel
7/22/2018 03:18:35 am
"...I feel like I've been watching the death of critical thinking...."
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V
7/24/2018 12:31:48 pm
I like to respond to that one with "You can't prove that I didn't piss on your foot just now, either." And when they sputter and go "Yes I can!" I go, "You can't prove a negative, but there's as much evidence for me pissing on your foot just now as there is for aliens visiting ancient Egypt."
Joe Scales
7/24/2018 04:37:39 pm
"I like to respond to that one with "You can't prove that I didn't piss on your foot just now, either." "
Cesar
7/21/2018 05:02:30 pm
“the healing hand of a medieval monarch”
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Americanegro
7/21/2018 05:13:30 pm
That's fine for scrofula but for a more serious deal athelas is what is wanted. I will wait without until the appropriate hour.
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Cesar
7/21/2018 07:55:34 pm
It seems that only good kings like saint Louis (1214–1270) cured scrofula. Bad kings like Edward II of England (1284-1327) did not. In this case people recurred to Athelas.
Causticacrostic
7/23/2018 11:15:21 am
The hands of the king are the hands of a healer, and so shall the rightful king be known.
Hal
7/21/2018 10:24:57 pm
The only breaking news is that Jason is once again crying that he’s being ignored. Facist liberals want everyone to hold their beliefs and preferences as reality. They are too stupid to have any self insight.
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bezalel
7/22/2018 03:27:18 am
Hal
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Rose
7/22/2018 04:24:27 am
Hal who? Has he ever done five minutes of actual rrsearch, or is he one of those arm chair archaeologists who spew whatever dingbat theory is on the sci-fi book shelves? Lots of them in the science fiction community. Lots of not so subliminal racism as well. Finally, sounds as though David Chidress finally got rid of his cheesy fake "English" accent.
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Kal
7/22/2018 01:09:37 am
The NY Times has been in the pocket of big business and the next rich guy for years, maybe decades, with their 'best seller list' and their highly opinionated editorials disguised as journalistic facts. It is doubtful they care very much about a blog such as this, just because it is not run by some high society yes person. And yes, the best seller's list is rigged. You ever wonder why the most obscure polticos in the current know (like reality TV stars) get a best seller? They pay the paper. In the case of this article too, someone paid big bucks to be in it. And some dude pretending to be Indiana Jones in 2018 is pretty funny. Maybe they should put a 'Make America Great Again' hat on him on the cover. Just as well Mr. Colavito wasn't included in the short list for a nod in the paper. Maybe you can apply for an article in Skeptic or something.
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Americanegro
7/23/2018 01:45:49 pm
The NYT is and has been for most of the 20th century a Zionist tool, and Zionism is the major mistake of the U.N. in the 20th century. If we called it "Fucking with Jordanians (because "Palestinians" is made up, Yasser Arafat was Tunisian)" it would be less acceptable.
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Titus pullo
7/22/2018 08:06:07 am
A very good post! The only point i would question is referring to the nyt as americas greatest paper. They denied Stalins killing of 10 million ukranian farmers and refused to cover horrible communist atrocities. And less not forget they beat the war drums for the iraq war. The nyt owners have an agenda like everyone else.
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V
7/24/2018 12:34:27 pm
...he said America's GREATEST paper, not America's MOST TRUTHFUL paper, just gonna say...
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Joe Scales
7/22/2018 10:07:51 am
So we can all agree then. It's the failing New York Times?
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An Anonymous Nerd
7/22/2018 05:16:33 pm
Mr. Scales:
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Joe Zias
7/22/2018 11:37:55 am
The fact that the NYT published this BS is inexcusable. It one of those Murdoch papers I'd give it a pass but in the NYT? Who is watching the staff there, too much time spent on DT?
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Brady Yoon
7/22/2018 12:48:57 pm
Is nyt really considered the greatest American newspaper??
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An Anonymous Nerd
7/22/2018 08:14:31 pm
Once upon a time, definitely, and that was meant unironically and when there was more and better competition.
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Not the Comte de Saint Germain
7/23/2018 12:15:19 am
Precisely. "Most influential" would be a better superlative today. For good or ill, that description is undoubtedly true.
Americanegro
7/22/2018 01:05:00 pm
"as well as the racist, anti-Semitic, and paranoid statements made by the show’s talking heads, including Erich von Däniken (who called Blacks a “failed” experiment), David Wilcock (who blamed the Jews for trying to kill him), and the late Jim Marrs (who alleged that the Jews and Obama were working together to destroy America)."
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Tom mellett
7/22/2018 01:08:01 pm
Jason,
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7/22/2018 01:15:22 pm
Oh, come now, Tom. You couldn't run a feature on the best bleaches for KKK robes in the Style section and argue that racism isn't important because the article is about fashion! Even the Style section has to have some standards.
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Americanegro
7/23/2018 07:33:23 pm
But if it's wearing the robes you'd be all over BleachCon Chicago 2018. How many dead my friend?
Tom Mellett said, "There’s a very good journalistic reason NOT to publish your charges of racism, antisemitism, pseudo-history, etc., in this article..." I'll add another reason:
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7/22/2018 07:56:31 pm
You make the mistake of thinking that the audience's diversity cancels out the meaning of the theory. The recipients of propaganda are people that the propagandist wants to convince; the fact that they are not already true believers cannot be retroactively pushed back onto the propagandist to absolve him of sin. To wit: The Trump Administration says many false things in order convince the public of the position du jour but Trump's coalition is itself diverse, made up of people who believe in him for a variety of reasons. By your reasoning, the effects of Trump's policies are irrelevant as long as some of the people who support him think something different.
Americanegro
7/22/2018 08:45:55 pm
"The Trump Administration says many false things in order convince the public of the position du jour." 7/22/2018 10:44:42 pm
Trump is the current president and therefore the current example, jackass. Stop it with the snark and the whataboutism. Either stay on topic or stop posting.
Joe Scales
7/23/2018 12:15:44 am
Jason,
A,ericanegro
7/23/2018 04:22:34 am
I think the word "jackass" also "snark" is inappropriate. What the fuck, dude? Trump is the current President so we can't talk about Nixon because that would be whataboutism and snark?
Jason, you commented: "You make the mistake of thinking that the audience's diversity cancels out the meaning of the theory. The recipients of propaganda are people that the propagandist wants to convince; the fact that they are not already true believers cannot be retroactively pushed back onto the propagandist to absolve him of sin."
Americanegro
7/23/2018 11:00:35 pm
The problem with Sitchin is not that he's a Jew, it's that he's a lying Azerbaijani fuck who claims to know languages that he doesn't know. You're welcome.
Joe Scales
7/24/2018 10:10:06 am
A theory dies on its merits; or better put in regard to Ancient Aliens, the lack thereof. It doesn't fail because of the character of who promotes it, or promoted it a lifetime or two ago. But it is human nature to associate that which we dislike. Ancient Alien Theorists and racists. Fringe history and your political opponents. Not to say that no connections can ever be made, but they are sought out, highlighted and generalized to smear the whole, while ignoring your true motivation for doing so.
V
7/24/2018 12:46:59 pm
...sweetie, your argument is like trying to argue that because Mein Kampf has been read by an exceptionally broad and diverse group of people, it's not racist. The problem is that you CAN'T extract the racism from the message itself, and that message is reinforcing racism that does already exist. I HAVE gotten to know a number of ancient aliens believers, and frankly, I heard a SHITTON of racism out of them. And yet, when I pointed out that it was racist, and how, they were deeply shocked, in many cases agreeing with me that now that they looked at it, yes, that (whatever was said) was terribly racist.
Hi V. Good on you for pointing out the racism to those people. However, it is certainly not my observation that every ancient alien book is the equivalent of a "Mein Kampf." They have much more of a "gee whiz, I'll bet those were space aliens!" attitude without a political agenda. When an ancient astronaut theorist DOES inject personal bigotry into the discussion, which a few of them have indeed done (but certainly not the majority) then yes, it needs to be called out on a case-by-case basis.
An Anonymous Nerd
7/24/2018 07:37:36 pm
Mr. Scales:
Rackham
7/25/2018 01:40:07 pm
" Most of them are NOT racists, and they would recognize a statement about blacks being a failed race that you attribute to Von Daniken's as being really stupid." Rackham: What would really help, since you have the books to hand, is to cite the titles of the books and page numbers where the racist material is found. And, if you have the time, to quote (not paraphrase) the racist passages. (I know we are all busy, so just the titles and page numbers are fine if that's what you have time for.)
An Anonymous Nerd
7/22/2018 05:07:17 pm
The title of the online version of the article ("Suspicious Minds") is highly misleading. Neither the article nor its subject has a suspicious mind. Buying into the ancient aliens notion requires the exact opposite of a suspicious mind, because there's no way to get there based on the evidence. You have to make stuff up instead.
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orang
7/22/2018 11:58:02 pm
I have always heard that the NYT was the best American newspaper. Of the meager 8 or so papers that I've subscribed to in my life, the NYT was head and shoulders above the rest. The 2nd best is the Wall St Journal, although the editorial pages are a waste of trees.
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Americanegro
7/23/2018 04:32:17 am
"Suspicious Minds" is a wonderful song by Elvis, thank you very much by the melongeons.
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Machala
7/24/2018 01:08:17 pm
Jason,
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orang
7/24/2018 01:27:50 pm
machala As I recall, Jason has always stated that he believes that the rise of fringe beliefs and the rise of the right are linked, and one purpose of this blog is to expose that link. Therefore, it would be impossible to eliminate politics from this blog, especially since America appears to be going down the toilet. I am frankly surprised at the apparent beliefs of some of the regular commentators on this blog--until now, I perceived most of the commentators to be more or less normal, what ever that is. But guess that I shouldn't be surprised because by definition, 50% of people have IQs below 100 and I think that 30 to 50% of people walking the street are mentally ill to some degree. But given the weirdness and ignorance of some of the comments, I think Jason would be justified to discontinue this blog perhaps forever. I could name names, but I won't.
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Joe Scales
7/24/2018 01:42:13 pm
"As I recall, Jason has always stated that he believes that the rise of fringe beliefs and the rise of the right are linked, and one purpose of this blog is to expose that link." 7/24/2018 02:00:02 pm
Also, Joe: The extreme left has no voice in government and does not make government policy. There are no cable channels catering to their fringe history beliefs. Marxist fake history is just as ridiculous and potentially dangerous and right-wing pseudohistory, if there were actually any Marxists in power. And there aren't. But there are a lot of right-wing politicians in high office who will talk about Joseph's granaries, creationism, ancient astronaut theories, and the like.
Americanegro
7/24/2018 02:26:58 pm
The extreme left HAD a voice in government for 8 years. Sorry. What did it accomplish? The purchase of GM, selling uranium to Russia, an ongoing Elon Musk loan guarantee handjob, assassination of American citizens, 4 billion in paper money cash to Iran,,,
Joe Scales
7/24/2018 02:34:15 pm
"But there are a lot of right-wing politicians in high office who will talk about Joseph's granaries, creationism, ancient astronaut theories, and the like." 7/24/2018 02:42:38 pm
I don't think, Joe, that leftists are absent from the "Ancient Aliens" audience. I've covered Action Bronson's stupid show, and Harry Reid's UFO hijinks. But do they really matter? With Republicans controlling all branches of government and most statehouses and governorships, surely their beliefs and delusions are more important than a rump minority whose most important trait is that rightists keep imagining them as an all-powerful legion. Only one side of the political debate is driving the conversation. And it's the one with literal Nazis openly running for office under its banner.
Machala
7/24/2018 04:02:53 pm
Orang, you said:
Joe Scales
7/24/2018 04:47:00 pm
" But do they really matter? " 7/24/2018 06:43:10 pm
Joe, you keep reaching for examples from the past. Today is today, and I can no more change the fact that the right is in charge than I can wish away ancient astronaut theories. You play the hand you are dealt. When times change, so too will the material I write about. If you want to see more critiques of the left, vote for more leftists.
Joe Scales
7/24/2018 10:45:43 pm
"Joe, you keep reaching for examples from the past."
Pacal
7/26/2018 11:59:10 pm
I greatly enjoyed this exchange for the great examples of utter stupidity. The talk about the "extreme left" and the "left" in general being in power / influence for 8 years. I assume the 8 years referred too are the years of Obama's Presidency are and thinking the "left" was in charge is beautifully stupid. Only, it appears, in the USA could such idiocy be uttered it seems and swallowed. In very much of the world Obama would be regarded has Right-Wing not Left Wing. 7/24/2018 04:11:25 pm
Jason,
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Doc Rock
7/24/2018 04:39:24 pm
Oh boy, someone claimed that American archaeology rejects pre-Clovis. As part of the drinking game we now all get to do a double shot.
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Machala
7/24/2018 05:13:03 pm
Doc,
Doc Rock
7/24/2018 07:03:21 pm
Now gotta do another double shot after seeing the claim that material from the Page-Ladson site validates the Solutrean Hypothesis. 7/24/2018 08:46:43 pm
archaeology is not a science, it is a hyper-sensitive humanity since post-processualism took root. Don't take my word for it, check out the links you'll find at
Doc Rock
7/24/2018 09:07:45 pm
Doesn't matter if it is post-processual, processual, or good old fashioned culture history. None of them have found evidence demonstrating that Europeans built the mounds or supporting any number of fringe claims. Call it science or humanities but materials from page-ladson don't validate the solutrean hypothesis.
E.P. Grondine
7/25/2018 10:33:13 am
Doc, and whoever else-
An Anonymous Nerd
7/24/2018 07:46:55 pm
Oh my.
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Doc Rock
7/24/2018 08:31:27 pm
Professional archaeologists tend to hold themselves and others to very high standards. Anyone who has undergone any sort of peer review can attest to that. If archaeologists are rough on each other you can only imagine how they will react toward claims based on, at best, minimal empirical evidence and more often just plain old wishful thinking put forth by amateurs. Claims of archaeologists being authoritarian generally mean that archaeologists are unwilling to accept extraordinary claims without extraordinary proof. Since fringe folks are generally unwilling or unable to up their game so to speak they get upset when professionals won't lower the bar for them
Rackham
7/25/2018 02:06:44 pm
An Anonymous Nerd: don't forget how the fringe starts most of their books saying they aren't seriously, just musing... Shaky foundations isn't it! I recall reading a Robert Charroux in which he had to tell readers that students wrote to him that they started to challenge their teachers with his claims... His answer wasn't "great, we are fighting them" but rather "don't take what I say for a proven truth, you should really learn what your teachers say". The poor guy didn't have enough confidence in his theories and was scared to ruin others' education.
An Anonymous Nerd
7/25/2018 07:37:17 pm
Hello there Rackham.
Pacal
7/30/2018 06:44:14 pm
First it is Pacal not Pascal. My father died yesterday so I thank you for the laughs. Your delusional pseudoscientific rant was absolutely hilarious. Thank you for the ad hominems, the listing of discredited evidence, the citation nut jobs and of course the mega dose of tinfoil hat thinking.
Pacal
7/30/2018 08:10:18 pm
Oops put this in the wrong spot it belongs after Scott's ravings. 7/30/2018 10:01:11 pm
Pacal,
Pacal
7/30/2018 11:18:18 pm
Thank you for your condolences.
Scott Monahan
7/31/2018 05:42:04 am
Pacal,
Pacal
7/27/2018 01:22:58 am
A wonderful collection of straw men and ad hominems. First you fantasize about "archaeological authoritarians" and it is a lovely fantasy. But of course it has the effect of casting people like yourself in the role of the Sons of light against the Sons of Darkness. Of course no evidence is given to for this fantasy. it is of course mere polemic.
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Pacal
7/27/2018 01:40:13 am
Continued... 7/29/2018 04:35:59 pm
For a comprehensive defense my claims, Pascal, 7/29/2018 04:42:45 pm
For a comprehensive defense my claims, Pascal, 7/29/2018 04:47:22 pm
CONTINUED 7/29/2018 04:51:36 pm
CONCLUSION (part 3) - sorry about the duplicate initial post, Jason!
Americanegro
7/29/2018 07:25:16 pm
Where are you institutionalized Scott?
Scott Monahan
7/29/2018 10:10:50 pm
AmericaNegro,
Doc Rock
7/29/2018 10:21:54 pm
Post-processual archaeology did not really emerge until the 1980s and is only one school of thought (and not a homogenous one at that) in contemporary archaeology. There are plenty of folks who are in sharp disagreement with post-processualists. Probably far, far many more than those identified as such are out and about moving dirt eve. They are thumbs down on most fringe stuff too. Even if post-processualists were running the show and were as bad as you claim, there is still a massive amount of earlier work in archaeology that refutes fringe theories. 7/29/2018 10:44:04 pm
Doc,
Doc Rock
7/29/2018 10:59:13 pm
More accurate to say that post-processualism is the exception not the rule given its brief and limited existence and the fact that post-processualists aren't in any position to dictate what most archaeologists do, or physical anthropologists, or linguists, etc.
Americanegro
8/2/2018 02:08:57 am
"I believe your earlier attacks against my credibility was based on suspect typos. Did you find any, recently?
Americanegro
7/24/2018 04:32:45 pm
So sorry your preferred people aren't in power. It happens. I long for the day when an American politician has the balls to say "I don't believe in this God nonsense." Johnson, on the left, ginned up the fake Gulf of Tonkin incident and dug us into the Vietnam war. Carter in retrospect I view as the 2nd Caretaker President, like Ford.
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Joe Scales
7/24/2018 11:03:03 pm
" I long for the day when an American politician has the balls to say "I don't believe in this God nonsense." "
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E.P. Grondine
7/25/2018 10:18:23 am
Hold it right there, asshole -
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Americanegro
7/25/2018 04:16:20 pm
Jason, I'm confused by all this ASSHOLE talk. Just what are the rules?
Americanegro
7/24/2018 04:52:54 pm
"since the late 2000’s. Archaeological vitriol toward even the possibility of unconventional discoveries such as what was confirmed by underwater archaeology (30ºN 84ºW) validating the Solutrean hypothesis near Tallahassee in 2016 (May, “Science Advances”) attempts to enforce the myth of America’s exemption from worldwide exploration and trade via the oceans and rivers to no more less than a thousand years ago"
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7/24/2018 04:57:36 pm
early 2000's = decade from 2000-2009
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Americanegro
7/24/2018 05:59:48 pm
You said "late 2000s". You don't get to change it. And as much as it pains me to say thiis (there's your typo!) Captain Drinkypoo has already handed you your head. You are an idiot. And Americanegro is ONE word.
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7/24/2018 06:06:03 pm
The date is July 24, 2018. I have no prescience to know what's coming tomorrow or in another millennium. Nor do you! My intention was to isolate the first decade. If you wish to confirm yourself as a total nincompoop, be my guest. Nobody knows the future and I certainly wasn't pretending to be an exception.
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7/24/2018 06:44:57 pm
American NEGRO
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Americanegro
7/24/2018 08:26:24 pm
Still not the late 2000s. I'm amazed that Jason tolerates your racism, but it's his site.
Shane Sullivan
7/24/2018 09:38:51 pm
Scott, I don't think that's what most people mean when they say "late 2000's". I think most people would mean the latter half of the first decade of the century, even though that's incorrect usage; it more properly means 2050-2099.
Mule Skinner
7/25/2018 06:26:55 pm
Monahan's typos are unfortunate and we have all made them even in formal publications. They so often give the opposing side in a discussion an opportunity to claim they are proof you must must have struggled through elementary school. All that doesn't justify throwing the baby out with the bath water. Monahan's reference to authoritarian archaeologists is a legitimate one. During 40 years of observing and participating in various debates I have witnessed all too often what people do in many professions, the pontificate because they occupy the most "Prestigious" chair of anyone in the room. Sometimes they even make up "facts" our of whole cloth. I have even seen written rejections of an opposing argument before the argument was made.
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Doc Rock
7/25/2018 07:42:12 pm
Archaeology is not represented by a handful of senior professors sitting in a smoke filled back room decided what will or will not be accepted. There are thousands of archaeologists representing a wide range of theoretical viewpoints. There are academic archaeologists, contract archaeologists, archaeologists employed by the federal government, archaeologists employed by the state government, archaeologists employed by Indian tribes, and archaeologists employed by private foundations.
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Doc Rock
7/25/2018 07:51:19 pm
Yes, some archaeologists, like any other discipline, can be so entrenched in a position that they can be very resistant to new perspectives. But that's quite a bit different from refusing to embrace the idea of Europeans building Indian mounds or other such stuff that has no decent evidence. Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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