The UFO phenomenon has been around and in popular culture since at least the 1950’s. But if books such as Chariots of the Gods by Erich Von Danniken are to be believed, the phenomenon may have predated this time by several centuries. And if that was the case, is it possible other phenomena such as the notorious and enigmatic Men in Black could have followed back this far as well?
While the MIBs first came into the mainstream shortly after the work of John Keel came about in the form of the book “The Mothman Prophecies.” In the account, mysterious agents were seen around town asking witnesses about the Mothman’s presence and possible whereabouts, and encouraging all to keep silent about the whole affair. And these first few reports would become part of the ufo phenomenon forever after. But were they the first really?
For almost thirty years, UFOlogists have reached back into history and attempted to seek out other sources of the UFO phenomenon not only in modern history, but in ancient mythology as well. And what they found was very few written accounts of coverups by either organizations or apparently supernatural entities. The organizations were largely usually associated with the most advanced or organized cultures of the time and included the church, large influential families, occult organizations, and governmental bodies. But the tone was generally the same. Mysterious people dressed in shadowy or dark clothing devoid of personality often would appear before witnesses and warn that they should keep quiet about unusual discoveries they had made. Victims included astrologers, astronomers, mathematicians, inventors, casual witnesses who had discovered strange objects or entities, and religious clergy. And while the modus operandi may have been different, these figures could have easily been considered the “Men in Black” of the time.
So what could these Men in Black before their time have been? To examine this, let’s take a look at what could be motivating the men in black. Such figures seem to wish to ensure the status quo are not disrupted. They work to keep the mysterious secret or not spoken of at all. They hope to not tip the scales to keep evidence of unusual occurrences out of the public eye. So who would potentially benefit from their presence? Any governmental or religious entity working off of a strict dogma or understanding of universal laws would need to keep a fairly static understanding of the world as it is in order to ensure there is no unexpected philosophical upheaval. Could these people have been motivated by the same alleged factors as their modern counterparts?
Of course there are also those who suggest the MIBs themselves are supernatural entities. They are often described as having strange mannerisms and behaving with surprise or alarm around mundane everyday objects. Essentially they act, according to witnesses as though they were somehow “alien” in this world. But is this merely a cover by crafty agents of disinformation?