1979 12 00 Futures - Vol 11 No 6 - Livingston

Magazine Overview

This issue of "Publications Received Science Fiction" from FUTURES, dated December 1979, features a section on "Science Fiction" with a lead article by Dennis Livingston titled "A history of strange encounters." The issue also includes a report on a conference titled "Waiting for the FAST line."

A history of strange encounters

Dennis Livingston reviews two books: Allan Hendry's "The UFO Handbook: A Guide to Investigating, Evaluating and Reporting UFO Sightings" and "Faeries" by Brian Froud and Alan Lee.

Livingston pairs these books, suggesting they complement each other by reaching into humankind's mythological and psychological heritage. Hendry's book is described as a pragmatic guide to investigating UFO sightings, not taking a stance for or against UFOs, but offering a framework for evaluation. It analyzes 1300 cases from a police toll-free hot line operated by Hynek's Centre for UFO Studies, distinguishing between UFOs and IFOs (Identified Flying Objects). Hendry emphasizes the importance of taking IFOs seriously as a control group and highlights common mistakes in misidentifying them, such as mistaking advertising planes for UFOs. He also critiques the shaky uses of tools like radar and hypnosis in UFO investigations.

Hendry's conclusion, influenced by Jung, is that UFOs represent a significant sociological phenomenon reflecting current political tensions and technological trends. He questions the absence of a UFO movement before the 1940s, suggesting that today there is a "powerful emotional desire to 'see' UFOs."

The review then turns to "Faeries" by Froud and Lee, which is described as an entertaining and illustrated "natural history" of fairies. The book draws on folk tales and sightings from various cultures to describe fairy society, habits, and interactions with humans. Livingston notes the parallels between UFO sightings and fairy encounters, including reports from credible witnesses, varied appearances, both benign and evil consequences, and occasional physical traces.

Livingston humorously suggests that a "13th century Centre for Faerie Studies" might produce a similar study, and while he would prefer a world where both fairies and UFOs "really" exist, he finds the mythic level rich enough.

CONFERENCES

Waiting for the FAST line

This section reports on a workshop titled "Europe in transition: the challenges of the future," organized by l'Association International Futuribles in cooperation with the Commission of the European Communities, held at Arc-et-Senans, France, from September 19-22, 1979.

Günter Schuster, head of Directorate-general 12 in the Commission, chaired the final session. Aurelio Peccei, president of the Club of Rome, provided the summing up. Ricardo Petrella, head of the Commission's FAST (forecasting and assessment of science and technology) team, also spoke.

Jacques Lesourne, head of the OECD INTERFUTURES project, gave a significant presentation. He expressed fears of a future nuclear war between Third World countries in Asia, discussed the potential Balkanization of Africa, and the possible "conquest" of Russia by Soviet Asia due to higher fertility rates. Lesourne also noted the decline of the USA as a world power but doubted Japan's ability to replace it due to its lack of military power.

Petrella, speaking as an individual, viewed the USA's decline as an opportunity for Europe to reassert its position as a world power. However, the report notes that FAST has not yet produced work comparable to the INTERFUTURES report, being in its project-definition stage with a team of six.

The report also mentions the working groups, some of which had to be eliminated due to popularity. Ten groups reported on the final morning under Günter Schuster's chairmanship. Schuster questioned a reporter from the 'welfare state' group about the omission of certain issues.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the exploration of unexplained phenomena (UFOs and fairies) through a lens of mythology, psychology, and sociology, and the forward-looking analysis of global challenges and Europe's future role in international affairs. The editorial stance appears to be one of critical inquiry, encouraging pragmatic evaluation of evidence while acknowledging the cultural and psychological significance of belief systems and future projections.