SOCIOLOGY AND EVERY DAY LIFE
iyitii hcig~itcncci intercst in outrr spnco
:md ttic advnnccd twhiiology tIi:it will
soori ;illow imri to c.xplore it, niniiy have
r,c:tcd ?rc.it l-.olciiti.il sourcrF of nxpliiti;~-
t~ 111 for iintt
tirig<. SIIL!I
sigtitings 1inn.r iwcn going on fix cctiIl:rics. evciAirir: a vast niimbcr of explanaLions. frim ! 'ivirie intcrvniiiioi~ in the
f.mi of rniinclcs to thc midniglit flight of
prticipaiits in a witclies' Snbbnth. Altlin91~h ni:iriy giotip~ niid org~itiiz~tlo~i~
An Open Ooor Ciilt *t
If. Triylrw nucfiricr
Iiavc itiidrrtakcn tn itivestiçntc tlic-sc ihciiomcrin, soinc ol thcw i,nvcsiig:iIois ( iiicliitling acndcrnicinris and govrriiinciit
njyiicic..~) linvc slimvii lcss skc.;,tic-isin
tlinri otiicrs, c-\lx:ci;iily almit rvp tri.i 11-
kging ni.tiid rontnct witir visilo.,; from
otlic-r world;. Some of ilicsc? pclrsi.,iic 1i.i~~
fonnrd groclx tint lr.ivr! tnkeri tlit- fn:;n
of iicw &$oris cults. Profcssor lluckncr
cxnmincs ono such organization bclow.
EDITOR
1:isrhr 2.. its sociirl ir~pnct is conçcrrictl thta flyiiiç sniicer it:igiit ûs
wcll Ii:i\.r I)wn a flyiiig Ibrsctinch
Glot. hv iiiti:ryi.etntion of its "truc"
nicaniiig c;iii bc advanced, indced
prohnl)lp lias iieen ad\.nnc~d, and
since tliiw nrc no cxteninlly vcrifi:ihie f;it.tz rio interpretalioii cm be
rcfutc:!. '! liis fnct lins Iiad an iiiiportmt rfft ct cn the org:iiiizations
foiindrd 11:; !Iyiilg saucer ùelkvcrs, or
ilying cniic-crians, and on tlie flying
sauceri;iii,: tiit~iiist:lvc?s. Ilcfore spenking of tliis. !;r:-vcver, kt us hriclly rcvicw tlic Iiistory of thc flying s.~I!cL'~.
Tlicrc iirc iwo riiiiin phascs, p~~~>iihr
cxcitc!iiriit mid ocuiit co!oriiz:i:,i)ri. .. .
Tlic ptiiisc of popillnr c~ciic,iiic:it
has thcc riiiiin p. ,r iwls. T1ir:r. is n
pcriod of scnsitimtion wiiich l;;stcJ
frorn 1CW7 to 19.7 1. lIi(-rc is a pcriotl
of Iiystmia iri 1952, ntid n pcriod of
sccoiidnry 1iy:cri.i follo\~ii~l;: Spiitiiik
in tlic 1:ist nionths ot 19.57. This i~ ri
plinse of iriily pnplar exii 4.i.ic.rit.
3I;iny of :fic pcopic, inclcc~i ni.;;i>-
nbiy niust. wlio saw iiyiiii; .3;iiiccrs
wcrc in nll other ways quite :ioniini.
As ;i ;r..iil~ :n;::iy pa~~plc to t!iii. ri.-,:,?
arc uri\:dling to cc:nplctcly.~c;!** t tiie . ,' idcn tliat there :s soriic:iiiiig up
tiierc."
Tiic course oi ihc p1i;i.s~ of 1,opiilx excitcniciit \vas ils foilows: ?I'!,cn
Scnncth Arnold saw soinct hing 1i.çi11
Iiis airplane nezr XIoivit 1hii)ic.r in
flint? 1!1.17, lie g;ivc? tlicrii tlic 1i;ippy
:121iic of Ilyiiin, s;iiiccrs.' Tliis coiicictr:
naine Jctiiictl ii prwiously un&-fincd
cli!ss of piiciiorii~ri;~ iintl pcqdc hgnn
fiftirig tlicir exprrir-rices to it. Just as
in the Scnttle Wintl:;liicld Pittiiig Epidcniic wiirre pcoplc lookcd nt tlicir
wiiic!!~lii(*l(ts for tlic Crst tiine inst(,:id
of throlicIi tlicrii. sveiits wiiich u.ould
othrnvise cxcitc no noticc 1)cc;iiiic
c;ii~ze fer spcc111:ition.~ 'l'iiroiigli iIic
rrsl of 19 17, J!blS, I!>I!l, 1!150 nritl
tiiiwd to coiiic. in nt ri rate of .LIRI io
2(;O R yenr. Ihring this pcriml of
scrisiliz;ition the pul)lic at lnrgc c;iriic
!O he :iwarc of tlie word Ilying s;iiicrr,
and !o bc iinsure of its rciilitv or
iiiziniii~. On AIiiy 20, 1950, towrcl
the e!icl of the period of smsitiz:itioii
9-1 pcr cciit of tlic rcspoiidcrits ol tlic
rcg11;ir Amcriciin Institute of 1'iil)lic
Opinioii poil cl;iiincd to Iiiive Iicmd
of fiying s;iiiccr.;. Thc 1;irgcst portion
of tlirsc pc-oplr: s;iid tlwy ditln't kriow
w1:at thcy tvcre, :irid tliosc wlio
tlioiil;lit tiicy kiicw guessctl wiltlly.:'
In April to July of 1952 Lifc iiirigazine and :lie Unitcd States Air Fmcc
maii;igd to triggcr the flying snuccr
Iiystcriî ;vtiich we al1 rcmcinber. On
April 7 Lilc priiitrti an ;irticlc wiiicli
:ir~tird 11i;it t1w flyiiig sniiccrs cïiiiic
Irocii :iiioilicr pl:iiic.t. Tltcn tl~c :?rr
1;orcc I>cgnii to i.r.poit scriii< 11yii:q
s;iiic:cirs. Tliroiigii ;i scirics oi i:icrtdii)le p111)Iic rclntiniis I>lu;iti(.ï~
\vliicli riiiigctl froin giving offici;ii
s;ir~c.ticlii to wild rcports lo ;uiv;iricii:g
p:itciiily :il)siirtl "csp1;;ii;it ioiis" i in.
Air i'orcc ill;iil;i~fY~ 1o tari t iw il\..\-
trriii. ljy ilw (vid of i!)X 1501 si;iiiiiiqs 1i;id Iwcri rcporrc(1 for tlic yr.:r. +
l'ltc 11yst~ri;i LaIl iiwiy riipi~l:!.,
tlioiig!i not to tlic? low lcvcl of t;ic
scrisiti~irig pcriod, ;iiitI w;u !);it.i;!.
rcvivcd wlicii pcopic: 1wg.iii 1oAii.g
nt tlic sky nftcr Spiitiiik w\loit i?p i;i
Octcilx.r, .l!).57. Tliis ciitlcd tlic ~li~t.
ol ~~op~l;ir excilciiii.iii. 'I'l~crc arc stili
pvoplc wlio rclloit scciiig !I>.iiig
s;iriccrs 1nit tlicir nunhcrs arc rjuiic
srn;ill.
Tlic sccoiicl plr;isc. \vliic.Ii o\.~*rl;ip
tlic first, is ilic p1iii.w of ocdt cdonizntioii. it coiisisis, in hricf. oi
pcopic wiiti rcport iiot tht t1ir.y ii.i\c
swii soiiivtliiiig iii tiir* six I~it ' !ii.r;
t1ir.y hvci 1i;id pt.rsoii;~i contiict :vit!i
hirifis froiii ;iirotIivr pl.iiic~t wiio wSrc
piloiirig tlir: fiyin3 sniiccrs. Tiiib ih
clc;irly qiiitc ;i diiicrcrit pliclioiiii'noii.
Tlic dcfiiiitiori of tlic situation iii
occnit ttmns 1)cg;iii in S5.70 with lii~,
piiidicntion ai two Iln<>h, oac of:
wliicli wns th<: first siiiicci.i;in i~ook
conil>lvtc with litth: green ~i~(!ii."'
Tlicso two 1)ooks. piirticiiinrly Friink
Sctiliv's Ur,liititi tlte I;l!yiiic: Sarrrc'vi.
are lookctl iipoti hy s;iiiccrinris as ilid
b<*girining of the tr;idition.
I'hc piib1ic;ition cxplosioii hit tIic
;i\ \'iilg S.;iiCCiS .VCic! pliIlii.ilir>d iii tiicsc t~vo ye:it.s." Tlic-sc
!~t~tAs Fo:iiid ii rc:itly nii(licrtcc of
i:iii~ri~stL~tl pcoplc wiio worc still wontic.t.i:iq t\.iiiit flging s;iiiccrs twrc iiftcr
tri, liysttrin of 19.32 h;id p;icsed.
?I;iiiy peoplc rc:id tficse books, fpw
klicwd :lieni. nciiig as cli:irit;ible
.i* ;lo\\ii~ic iiio>t of th~sc hmks tvori!d
i1<1( c~or~viiicc it riitiier di111 tcii yc;it
OLI. I$iit niniiy li~vplc wcrc conviriccd.
1'1'11r) tvcre tIiy:',- I' thiiik tlii~t [lie.
,rii\\vcr iiiust Iw tii;it tiicy tvcre people
, \~Iio wcre nirt.:itiy bclicvcrs in the
i~~rtiil ,lid ps).cliic.
*Tlwsc pt-opil. wlio lwlicwcl th ilyi:?\; s.iiiccr t~ook~ ~)c~II. st;rrtirig in
1!iZ iiiii1 1936. to hiid togvt lier in
iI!.iiig S~I~ICLT cliil~.~ micl to 110ld fly- II!< \:I~IcI~~ ~<;ii\.<~~it ii)iIS. 11 l;irg(* CII;I~I~
III' wiccr cItil)s, ~i~clcr~tii~~clir~g Inc~t)i.~~riiteci, \vils s1;irtcd ii~ 19%. AS
:i iiaturnl coiiscciiirticv of t!ie existeiice of tiiis piil>lic ;i iitriii!~: of inagiiziiles -iiiy S:ICICf'rF lxpi to lx pu1)Iislic~l. Tliis \vas a
pc-riod of grwt grotvth for Ilging
A .soci;il woild is a ciiltiire arca. a
tini\wcc of rcgul:iriï.cd riiiitiiiil rcspoiisr:, wliosc* 1miriid;iries ;ire sct I)y
tlie liiiiit of clf<*ctivc ~oiiiiniiiiicii tions.
Encli sociiil wcrid hris n utri\.crsc of
cliscoiirsc iii wliicli pertinent cxpcrienccs 3r~ catcçorizcc\ i:i particular
ways. Çociiil worltls hvc nonils oi . coiitliict, scts of ~iliic*~. prciitigc laddcrs, II pc.rsgrctivcs 6t tvorld
virws.' l'lie soci;il world of IIic occul:
"swkcr" is a vcry nitusii;il one.* The
scckcr tnovcs in A worid populiitcd
by ;isir;ii cpirits, cosmic tnitiis, astrologers, mystcry schools. lost conti~cnts,
magic hcnlinç. hunxin "inms," "secotid coinings," telepatliy, aiid vibrations. ,4 typical occuit secker will
prob;il,Iy have becn n l~osicniciiin, n
mciii1)cr of M;iiikind Uiiitcd. a Tlicosopliist and also n mcnil>t?r of four or
T:imotsii Sliihiitnni, "ndcrrncc Crniips
nrrd Sncinl Contrai," In Il~rimn net~rrvior
(in11 Sorirti Proccsacs. cd. Arnold Ihc ( Rocton: 1 lt,irghtoti hlifnin Coiii;i:iii~, 1 W2), W.
13%"7.
8 Tliis idcn of ncctilt srçkrrq Is qtiitc simi1;ir to tliiit wrd hy John l.o[iun:!, "Tho
\Vnrl~l Savcrs" ( Dnctnriil dl~sertntion, Ueartment of Sociology, unlverslty of Cali*
Fornia at n~rkd~y, 1861).
, I
\ -.
- ... - . . A.
.- -
'Tlic Flviiig 9;iiirrriniis: Aii Opan Jhor Ciih
ii1.c criinllcr spccific ciilts. Thc pntiem
ol rn~~i~ii~crsl~ip i oiit? of c~miiriiioiis
rnovcmcnt frciii oric iclc.i to ;iiiothr.r.
Sc~kers ::t;iy rvikli ii ciilt iintil thcv
are sntisficd thnt the). cxri Icirrii no
iilorc froni it, or that it h:is noiliiiig
to oflcr, nnri thcn t1ic.y inow on.
Scejrcrs know ont. ;inorficr Ii;iviiig
sccn encli ntlicr at varioiis mcctirigs
over the years, so thnt thc is nn
occiilt social worlcI \vliicIi contnins
al1 of the \l:iriniis pliilocnpliics atid
nll the people who rcstlctrlg iiiovc
f.oni oiic to niiotlicr ot tliciii. Aiiy
ncw philc?c«pi+Q caii gaici ri large firsttime :iurlicncc siriiply by lcttiiig it be
known aii!oiig the scekcrs tlint it
exists. Tlicre are vcry fcw occult
pliiloropf tics, Iiowc~w, \vliich ;ire so
weil org:iriiLd as to kcep. the iiitrrcst
of the schr over ni:iny years. If tlic
seeker docsn't ircl tlint die is Icnriiing ariytliins, or thnt soiiirthing is
being hidden from Iicr, shc wiil niovc
on. I'hc Iimits of the occult world
are the limits of tlic communication
structures providd by thc occulr
orgnnizations and the informal fnccto-face contacts of occultists.
III
The Aying snuccr movement stnrtcd
as just anotlier distiiict occult philosophy but it grndiinlly cliançcd and
is now an opcri door cuit. Ilow did
this corne about?
The niost iiiiportant siiiglc kict
about the flyinq saucer clubs 1 Iiavc
htid contact \rith is thnt tiiey wvrc
orgr;nitcrl bv peqlc \*:ho werc functioiiing within the occiilt social world.
One p;:rticular club which 1 have
foi!y~ved for cc,:eraI !;c.nrt, pcrsorinlly,
and wiiose records I Iinve been able
to cxaininc is ~xriinps tmic;il in tliis
reprd. Its organizcr was a latcmiddle agcd lady \vliose formal education had ended with the fourth
gr;i(lc. Slic iiscs ilic titlr? "lkvcrcncl"
which slic w:is givcii hy ii in;in ~?io
cl;iiiiis tlic iitlc liiiiisclf, ;irid wiio hi
\>wii t;ikcrn to ~isk })y clic Si,iti. O:'
C;ilifonii;~ f!>r tlispci~sii~g titlcs for ;I
fcc. Slie h;id bccn a riicrrilxr oi h1.111-
kiml C'i~itvcl ldorc tlic 1v;ir niicl li.i" to sntisfy tiiis dificiiity. i1iivi:i;
a 11:iIl 41c tlicii iii;iiletl oril ~ostc;ircis
"to hcr friciids." llcr ii.ic,iic.h. oi
coursc. wcrc pcoplc slie hiic\v Iioiii
iicr (:oritiicts in tlic wodd of ot.c.trh
sc,-kcrs. Ta th first irir*c-tirig ol .i
ncw ciiil> in Fcbrwiry 1!)X ironi a
single iiiniling OF post c;irtis r:iriic
thirty-rive people. Tlic first tiiree
mcctiiip consistcd of cjuitc striiightfonvartl f?ying sni:ccr iiiformntioii.
Tlic foiirth iticr!iirg wlis on "Spicc
Ycopk in tlic 1Jible."
Wlint is tlic flyiiig siiuccr story?
Tlie flyiiig sariccr cIiii)s \V<:I.C OI.~.IIIized iii-oriricl a f;iirly sirripic idm. 111
brief it is tlint iiitclli~ciit I)ciiigs froiii
otlicr p1;incts. distiirht CI l>y iii;.iiliiii!'s
cicvclopniciit of atomic eiicrgy, h;it.c
appcnred ahove carth in flying s~uccrs with the intelit of. sn9:iii:; :lia;,
frorn hiiiiscif. Iii its originiil foniiüi.i
tioii, wliicli was the ioni~ul.itii>ii
currcnt wlicn niost clubs \~CII>
fornied, th flyiiig snuccr is ii iii.itc*i.i:ii
object which operates on niagnctic
First of nll tfie mci~ibcrs arc oltl.
Tiic ;ivcr,ip nçc is ~>ï~l>iil>l~ ;iroiiiid
63 ;iricl tlicrc nrr: vcry fcw pcwplc
unt1r.r l;l'ty. kht of th: nicniiv.rs,
p~rli;i;)s !;O p-r cciit of the r(~giiI.ii.s,
arc tvoincn. Tlie orc1iii;ir-y nicctiiip.
tlieii. \vil1 hase ;in ntidiertcc wliicli is
nt lcnst SO per cent coiiiposcd of
womeii ove: fifty yenrs old. Sccoiitlly,
nrid tiiis is less firin, niost of the
memuers steiii to 1)e widowcd or
sinç!~. Tlicre iire very few cottples
. , wlto attciiti, ;irid tliere are a fcw wlio
atten(l wlio are iiiiirricti to lionbc*licvcis v.710 tlo iiot nttriicl. Tliircl,
thci scmo-ccoricwiic stntrts of th niiwibcrs scciiis 10 !iover aroiintl tlic
iipp:r-working cliiss and lowcr-midcllc cl;iss liiie ~villi, pcrli:ips. a grc:itor
disl>crsiori c!otvriirxtl tkn iip~vnrd.
.. Fourtli, the [orinal cducation lcvel of
kost niernbers is qiiite low. This ltns
a consctiiieiice in tIi;it altliougli tiivy
spcncl ;il1 tlirir tiinr: Icnrning. nid
they consiclrr thcni.cc1ves "stiidents,"
they do not Iciirii tliirigs in nn ordcrctl
nr?d disciplineci wnv, I~ut build III)
chtrnks of disroiincctetl knowlcdgc
whic5 tliey ciiiriot Iirinç to benr 011
a problcin nird which tlicy cantiot
., . systciii;itire. I'iftli, thc p1iysic;il lieil ltii
of tlic .iiidiriicc al!pc,irs to be ixicl, '
--ven worse tlinn would Ie accoiirttcd
for by the higli average nge. M;itiy
mernbers are tle;if, ni:lny have very
poor vision, riiaiiy walk with the aid
of sticks and miiiiy more display
obvious pfiysicnl hrinclicnps of otlitr
types. Sixth, by aiiy coiiveiitioiinl
definition the rnciital 1;caltli levcl of
the audience is qiiitr low. Hnlluciii;i-
II. Taylor Uuckncr
Tii the pas: this opcri door pnlic).
;i.is been wide cnoiigli to iricliiclc
sociaiism. bircliisni, pcnce. rct irrriicnt
iiiich iiiny Le clcar, occiili lirirs hnvc
:i:r,lilt!cJ: Lcri:ürianisrii, astrdo~y,
iIosii,n;~i.~~~isiii, Yoga, Ihha'i, CiiriF-
:i.tri Yop. L'nity, Divine Prii~cipI(:s, . r -T I O I,:-nltl~ food, nsccdcd
in;is:i.rs. tlic hhstcr c\cthc.riirs, trcliriii.ii rnctapl:ysics. Ncpo history, cnlor
iic.ili:ig. trcc cnrrgy. Akiisliic rccorcls,
c.i*it'sti;d iiirisic ai:d lip~wc>liwi.~i The
- \:rilin to\~iiid \.:iricty is clt:ir. 13rit
iiiircsti-aincd t.:.r1..i y is cli.iot ic and
wxki kaci to n ~iiiii!l nvrr:isc nitcd
.incc ns an\- sinclr linv m.iv ,ittnct
Somc tliirigs, such as political lines,
. ciin i>c presented in a coiivcrition
~viicrc pople will sit stiil for theni,
i hiit couiti not bc prcccri!cd in a
iiict'tiiig. \vliere no oiic \~:oitici coine. -.. . , 1 .:c iounclirig of the Uniscrsal Party,
!!le saucerians' very own political
prty. 'irew exictly 11 pcoplr, six of
w;iorn hnd set it up, fuiir r~ic~nhcrs of
:he "audience." and iri~.'~ Attctidnncc likc ihat tfoesn't pay the rcnt.
Silice in tlicory the !Iyilig saucer
cliih is a rr;illy open platforin for
th- presciiI:ition of rinytliing thnt wiil
I~iiiltl a "hettcr worltl" tlic pcoplc
\dia clioosc tliu spcakcrs do not cxplicitly choosc tliosc who drnw a bis
;iiir!icwx. Tlicy dq in fîct, chose
spcdtrs tliat tlrnw a large autlicnce,
brit 1 thiiik tlic process is largcly uncoriscious. Spwkcrs are not ctiarxtcrizcd as Iwing popular or uiipolmlar
but as hiiig good or bad. This has
notliiiig to do with tlieir spcakiiig
nhilit): but with tlic intcrcst the audiciicc hns in tlicit topic.
Tlic c2iaractc*ristics of (Iic audience
alfcct \vlixt tlwy WOI'.~ to 1ic:ir. Time
aftrr tinie tlic "good" spcnkcrs are
III(: l~calcrs. Aiiytliiiig which hns lo
do \rith pliy!;ic;il ciiscaso wilI clraw
a good sizcd audience, nnd if the
spr:ikcr prcscnts a linc of magic
i~cnlitig witli rricntnl powcr t!ic aildicnce will Iw lnrgc and intcrested. Th'
Iiealcrs on the Undcrstuntliiig lecture
hi1 arc dl con-mer; of soinc talcnt,.
and tticy use the flyirig saucer club
iil;iffnrni to, innkr !i?cir pil~lic pitch
Cor iiriviitc, cxpcnsive trcatincnts or
thcrnpy. Thus, given liinitcd amounts
of riioney, 1ic;iling spcakcrs arc a self
liiiiitiiig group. Flying saüccr clubs
will iicver hccome exclusively devoted to healing speakers but thcy
will continue to drift toward an
exclii~ive intcrcst in the magic heaiing of the problcms, social, cconoiriic,
political, piiysicnl and mcatnl, of the
aged. And this drift wili continue
wittwut anyone making a conscious
orgnriizational dccision to