I Want to Believe

This paper considers the current surge of interest in Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) through a Jungian psychological lens. The author expresses ontological agnosticism toward the literal physical-extraterrestrial (PE) hypothesis, focusing instead on the phenomenon’s archetypal power. Confirming Jung’s assessment, the author argues that UAP sightings, often manifesting as mandala-like symbols of the Self, function as a psychological compensation for unconscious anxiety associated with climate chaos, ecological devastation, and social collapse. The conclusion warns that preoccupation with “disclosure” may act as an grand distraction from addressing the apocalyptic threat of the accelerating planetary polycrisis

Agnosticism · Anxiety · Unconscious mind · Earthquake and Disaster Impact Studies · Education, Technology, and Ethics · Educational Leadership and Practices