Why We Obsess Over the Unexplained

 The Unidentified: Mythical Monsters, Alien Encounters, and Our Obsession with the Unexplained by Colin Dickey

Cryptids by V-L-A-D-I-M-I-R Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives Works 3.0 License

While initially I thought I might be reading a book about cryptids, UFOs and other unexplained phenomena, Dickey’s book proved to be so much more with emphasis on why we are obsessed with these unexplained events. This was a rewarding aspect of the book since it really examined not only the history of these events and the conspiracy theories, but also provides some insight into how our current society may be easily influenced to believe claims and events without much evidence or valid facts. While not explicitly stated, it seemed like part of the analysis of these past events, conspiracies and other ways of thinking are largely related to recent claims about stolen elections and other conspiracies related to power and privilege.

Not only was the analysis of events excellent and timely, but I also really appreciated Dickey’s reporting—visiting sites, attending conferences, and exploring the world of these mysterious events to find that the reality is mundane. What was fascinating was Dickey’s ability to take different analytical frames—whether it’s sociology, economics, psychology, history, or religion, and use these lenses to explain how and why people seek out a belief in these events. I loved reading about these kinds of things as a kid—I remember having a Time Life book of the unexplained and it was like one of my all-time favorite books. It was filled with random mysterious events and happenings. One of Dickey’s points is that many people sought out a belief in these events because they can invoke a sense of wonder. We enjoy a belief in things that we cannot explain, even when we typically try to make sense of things. This was especially true during the westward expansion. Further explanations focused on how the borderlands of society and wilderness helped to further some of these stories (like the Jersey Devil) as something of a warning to people to keep close and not venture beyond these barriers. Interestingly as well, Dickey traces how several stories, like the Jersey Devil, Sasquatch and the Yeti, have been coopted by white settlers from Indigenous cultures, and used as a means to further their colonization. He also frequently cites rapid change and turmoil in society as a way to explain further beliefs in these kinds of conspiracies (think JFK’s assassination, although not really a topic discussed). One of the more interesting ideas as well is his repeated mention of more recent historical events (Watergate, the fall of Saigon, the AIDS epidemic) as events that stirred up a distrust in social and government institutions. This book is a great read and highly important. It provides some interesting perspectives into the paranoid/conspiratorial mindset that is currently abound on the internet and in our popular media. I really enjoyed seeing how this kind of mindset moves from the fringes to more mainstream platforms and becomes more readily accepted.