The Now Project
By November Hanson
The Now Project is an addendum to “The Mosaic Project,” which is my pursuit into compiling information that might be relevant in furthering the study of the phenomenon of extraterrestrial experience. These extraterrestrial events include sightings, abductions and encounters.
I have always been interested in the unexplained. Perhaps, it is the air of mystery that sparked that flame to pursue such a subject. I have not been able to explain a few personal experiences in the normal perception of life.
As I stated in my earlier work, "The Mosaic Project,” I have no professional degrees to back up my particular observations of data. I do, however, have a keen interest in seeing the subject of extraterrestrials and UFOs move forward. I will maintain a high degree of objectivity, accuracy and enthusiasm. In my opinion, there are various ways to assemble studies and provide information to create further dialogue.
In the summer of 2000, a small group of people toyed with the idea of personality types and how it might relate to the subject of UFOs and extraterrestrials. At that time there were a limited number of individuals who identified their personality type in the setting of a small group. I do recall that several in that group that had similar personality traits.
According to The Myers and Briggs Foundation at (http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/) personality types are divided into sixteen categories based on four divisions where an individual tends to be either/or in tendencies. The first division is extrovert/introvert, which defines how a person recharges his/her battery in life. Some prefer large groups of people to get them going, while others prefer to be alone. The second division is sensing/intuition, which determines how we form opinions of our world. A sensing person would see events in black and/or white, while an intuitive person might have colorful ways of collecting data. The third division is thinking/feeling, which determines the process an individual uses to make decisions in life. The thinking person will use logic, and the feeling person tries to find a balance. The last division is judgment/perception, which is their relationship to the world at large. The judging individual just wants thing taken care of. The perception/perceptive people like to keep matters open to change.
I wanted to ascertain if there were any commonalities based on personality types when considering an individual’s interest and/or experience in the subject of UFO and extraterrestrial phenomenon. I culled personality types for two reasons. First, I have had the opportunity to work with the information from personality types in a different setting. Second, I was influenced by a small informal study that was done in the summer of 2000.
I did hypothesize a larger study would show some relevant information that might be a small key to add insight to the entire UFO/extraterrestrial experience. What I was not sure of was how the data may reveal who should be placed in what category and how many would represent that particular type.
As I cited in my previous publication, I will present a variety of ideas or observations I have made while collecting data on personality traits in relationship to those individuals who experienced a sighting, an extraterrestrial experience or perhaps one just interested in the subject. I am in no way telling anyone what they should see in the observation or what they should feel to be valid. If I am researching a particular subject, I do not like anyone telling me how I should view my own discoveries, nor do I want to tell anyone what they should see in the information. I do like input and other individual’s perceptions.
I believe the Now Project will show there is a variance evident between those involved in the UFO/Extraterrestrial phenomenon and the typical population. It is a project looking at a basic personality trait survey, how people fit into a variety of personality styles and how the data might be related to the subject of extraterrestrial/ UFO sighting experience. Having the opportunity to work with this type of information on several occasions, I thought it would be interesting to see if there were any patterns or trends that emerged in this type of survey looking at individuals who have had sightings, encounters or perhaps just an interest in the subject.
I have always found the information contained in personality type interesting. When I first worked with it, I was amazed how I was most likely to be represented by my particular type and how accurate it was in predicting how I would behave. Even more so I find it interesting to read about the other types of personalities. I thought it was a great insight into why others respond in a particular manner. Perhaps, we have even wondered why someone would react in a certain way that did not make sense to us. The bottom line is, even with a personality survey with sixteen distinct types, we are all still quite different.
In the beginning, one of the obstacles was a concern by the participants that they were being boxed into a certain type of category and would be viewed as it being the person’s core personality. In my experience I have found the personality traits more of a tool than a label. If people are honest with their answers to the specific questions asked, it will place them into a category that is their best fit. This does not mean they do not hold traits in other categories. It is simply a propensity to exhibit those types of traits.
In regards to experiences or interests in the subject of UFOs and extraterrestrials, are we all really that different, or is it possible we hold common ground within our individual personality types? Of course we will have our own unique way of looking at information and analyzing it. We do not even have to arrive at a conclusion. We can always leave a door open for additional information that may or may not sway our opinion in a different direction.
I currently have eighty-five responses from an internet survey located at www.icar1.com (International Community for Alien Research). I believed that was certainly enough to start looking at the data and see if there were any notable trends. Remember, you do not have to agree with me and might certainly have some ideas of your own as to what, if anything, this might all mean.
Statistics
Although I am often given more information than for which I asked, I am careful what I actually release. I think it is important to allow people, who are willing to be involved in the research of such controversial subjects, to maintain their anonymity. One might ask how I know if someone is telling the truth. The simple answer is I do not. With that said, I have found over the years, when discussing UFOs or extraterrestrial life, people are interested in learning more. They are not interested in being someone’s lab rat, dissected, and subjected to examination under a microscope concerning their personal interests or singular experience.
Most likely, we have all read a research paper, a book or some article on a project that had multiple subjects upon whom data was gathered. It might have been a new medication test, how individuals react to stress, or some other fact finding endeavor requiring the study of a group of people. I have not seen where we are given the names and locations of people included in these studies; therefore, I do not feel it necessary to do so here.
Now, I would like to address the always asked question: How can I detect if a test subject is providing truthful answers? I have already indicated I cannot. I tend to follow my own guidelines that I have established during my career. I have had the opportunity to speak with people from all over the world about their experiences. What I have found is they are generally not attention seekers. They are looking for answers or sometimes just simply to make a connection with someone else who has had the same experience. I am just as curious about the subject as you are.
I have encountered the attention seekers who are generally there to fabricate an experience or mock people with a serious interest in the UFO/Extraterrestrial subject. They generally expose themselves rather quickly. Fortunately, they are rare.
I found there were two options concerning any kind of research with this subject matter. One was to not proceed with any kind of survey because I might get someone who is not truthful about his/her experience. The other is to take a chance I can get enough valid data that anything fabricated would not be enough to really skew the possible outcomes.
If we do not take chances, we will certainly not get anywhere in an attempt to learn more about the whole extraterrestrial phenomenon. Perhaps, something done today may not be relevant presently but could be in the future. I suppose there is always the possibility that it was all in vain; but, in the pursuit of the truth, there are so many other things to ascertain along the way. For me, personally, this subject is such a grand gateway to learning about so many other things. I am perfectly fine with taking the risks.
From the outset of The Now Project, I asked only a limited number of questions. I wanted to know if someone had an experience, was a researcher, had a sighting only, or were just interested in the subject.
Of the eighty-five responses, there were sixty percent who identified themselves as an experiencer. They may have used the term contactee, abductee or something else to put them in that category. The ones in this category may have also added themselves as having a sighting or being a researcher too. Only one percent simply stated they were a researcher.. There were fourteen percent who were just interested in the subject and twenty-five percent who did not give any information either way. I would imagine those twenty-five percent must have had some interest if they learned about the survey through their own searching.
Although the U.S. was predominate in the survey (having fifty-nine percent of the returned surveys), there were a variety of other countries represented. Twenty-seven percent did not give an indication of their nationality. There were fourteen percent from other countries including Canada, England, South Africa, Scotland, Puerto Rico and Sweden.
The reason why I asked for a location was to show that this particular phenomenon is not solely confined to the United States. Of course, I know of far more reports in other countries than previously mentioned. These are simply the ones who responded.
According to Dr. David Keirsey’s book, Please Understand Me, there are four main personality temperaments into which people generally fit. He identifies “the Artisans” as sensation seeking; “the Guardians” as security seeking; “the Idealist” as identity seeking and “the Rationales” as knowledge seeking. When it came to the Now Project concerning people involved in the UFO/Extraterrestrial subject the big question was, where did everyone fit into these categories? Was it fairly equal across the board, or were there one or two temperaments that overwhelmingly stood out?
With information from the survey I first looked at the four main personality types: “the Idealists” came out on top with forty-seven percent falling into this category. “The Rationales” were not that far behind holding thirty-eight percent of the responses. “The Guardians” had fourteen percent, and “the Artisans” only one percent. To see if this holds any real meaning, we need to break it down further into the sixteen subcategories and do some comparing as to what percentage of the general population hold those specific traits compared to the individuals who responded to the survey.
“The Idealists “are more than likely spiritual in nature and may view the subject of UFO/Extraterrestrials as having some connection to that aspect of them, even if they do not understand what the connection is. They will probably want to proceed with acquiring more information in this subject area from a variety of sources and formulate their own opinions as to the validity of the subject and which direction they would like to take in further exploration. I would hazard to guess these people have little problem following their interest in what others might view an obscure subject while effectively participating in work, family and community.
In the case of “the Rationales,” I believe their interest in the subject has to do with looking at the world as a whole and all the components that make up our existence. They would be like Johnny Five in the movie Short Circuit, desiring more input. Their love and desire for technology might help them see the possibilities of an advanced culture and compare it to what the human race may accomplish in the future.
For “the Guardian types,” their interest in the subject of UFO/Extraterrestrial studies may lie in the security of being part of a like-minded group.
“The Artisan” had only one percent represented in this study, although I am sure there are more out there. Since they tend to focus on what is happening today, it might explain why there are not more in this study. Most individuals studying any type of phenomenon tend to be looking at possibilities and what the future may hold.
With Information gathered in this study, I believe the possibility exists that individuals within the UFO community might be a little out of the norm (of course, I am certain, you, the reader, already knew at least that much), and there are several intriguing trends to explore. Let’s look at the four main temperaments again for a moment. The respondents top temperament was the Idealist, with the Rationale close behind. There were only a few identified as a Guardian and only one as an Artisan.
One of the main identifying words of an “Idealist” is empathy. Creativity is another word associated with this type, and many people have equal creative passions aside from just wanting to know more about UFOs or extraterrestrials. There is about 8-10 percent of this type in a typical community.
In my opinion, the personality type least likely to be represented in this study, “the Rational” is the largest percentage represented. These people are quite skeptical, rather technical and ingenious; but they are also non-conformist. There are about 5-7 percent of these people as a whole in the general population.
A few fell into the “Guardian type,” and they are generally traditional. The first thing that comes to mind, which I did not ask, is do they have a religious belief they practice. Just because someone has had an experience or finds extraterrestrials and UFOs interesting does not mean they are not pious. In ordinary society, there is 40-45 percent of this personality type.
Why is there only one “Artisan?” Perhaps, since Artisans are so spontaneous, they are not stationary long enough for an ET to abduct them. I am not sure why just a single showing in this category. In the general population at large there are 35-40 percent of the people represented in this category.
I suppose it is obvious the two least common personality types in the general population (Idealist and Rational) are also the ones that command the larger percentage of those polled for this survey, which is rather interesting indeed. I can at least attempt to explore some possibilities. I am sure as people read along they too will have ideas and thoughts as to why there is a differential in percentages between ordinary society and those interested in the UFO/Extraterrestrial subject compared to the general population.
The Four Letters
Now that we have the break down on the four main personality types, let’s take a look at the sixteen temperaments that create the four letter identification code that ultimately identifies an individual’s specific personality type.
The four main personality types each have four subcategories that further define a person’s personality type. As an individual we generally prefer one thing over another. In the case of the Personality Survey there are four preferences where we would have the tendency to be either one or the other. Are we an Introvert or an Extravert? Do I have the trait of being Intuitive or Sensing? Would I use thinking or Feeling to make my decisions? Are we Judging or Perceiving when it comes to being organization or just spontaneous?
We have a propensity to be one or the other in each of the preferences, which gives us our four letter identification code to unlock which Personality Type category we fall into. There really is no right or wrong personality to be. It is about what makes us so unique and similar at the same time.
After answering specific questions about yourself in the form of a personality survey, a particular personality type emerges. This does not mean I have stuffed you into a box and this is who you are. It is about your tendencies. The bigger question concerning this survey is: Do people who have had an extraterrestrial experience, a sighting or just interested in interplanetary life fall into a specific personality type category?
In the world of the ESTJ (Extrovert-Sensing-Thinking-Feeling) he/she would be defined as being very concrete and based on facts. Only one involved in this survey has this personality identification. One might think this topic would not be a subject area in which one would be interested. There is more than one way to look at this personality identification to see why the idea of UFO/Extraterrestrials would be interesting to the lone responder. If this person were an experiencer, the concrete foundation might be interpreted as: It happened to them and the fact is they know what happened. Another possibility to consider is the experience has happened to someone close to them, and this individual wants to understand how this could be possible. I make the latter statement because I have met many people who are interested in the field because someone close to them has had some kind of encounter. The possibility also exists that they are concerned about being blindsided by deceptive data. Perhaps, they themselves have had an experience, and, for them, it threatens their concept of security and social order. The very nature of extraterrestrials visiting Earth could be frightening to them. Keep in mind, this individual’s reasoning may have nothing to do with what was suggested. I am merely looking at the subject from the point of view as to what is expressed by this personality type. (According to the Personality Type Newsgroup 13% of individuals would fall into this category).
The reality is we are all individuals and comprehend the world around us from different points of view. It does not make one right or wrong. As you read on, you may find aspects of yourself or others you know. If nothing else, perhaps, you will gain an understanding on how this subject could be viewed by others concerning their experiences.
There was only one ESTP (Extrovert-Sensing-Thinking-Perceiving). My first thought was this person must be a researcher. This type is a doer, a risk taker and would probably not think twice about his/her subject of interest and pursuit in locating answers. If this individual is an experiencer, his/her report would be invaluable because that person, typically, would have the characteristic of being highly observant, often picking up on nuances others might miss. (According to the Personality Type Newsgroup 13% of the people would fall into this category).
The ISFJ (Introvert-Sensing-Feeling-Judging) has six people in this category from the survey. They have a strong sense of duty and responsibility, so they have the characteristics of completing a task which would be invaluable to producing information in the line of research. I could also see these individuals as having an UFO/Extraterrestrial experience. They would be the quiet voice searching for answers and only sharing when they felt confident they could trust someone with their accounts of an extraordinary experience. These people with this personality type would also look at a sighting and question themselves on the matter if it really happened. They would make a great researcher following their path of interest and being able to stay grounded in the process. (According to the Personality Type Newsgroup 5% of the people would fall into this category).
There is only one ENFP (Extravert-Intuitive-Feeling-Perceiving). This individual, as a global thinker, would make a great researcher. He/she would view this subject as important as a world investigation as opposed to focusing on a particular region. He/she is ready to move the subject into new directions and will appreciate the endeavors by others to do the same. As an experiencer or for someone just interested in the subject he/she may seek information in a variety of venues and appreciate the opportunity to share with other individuals and be open to their ideas and interpretations. (According to the Personality Type Newsgroup about 5% percent of the population is in this category).
So far I have covered four personality types. Each one is unique. He/she could be a researcher, an experiencer, had a sighting, or just be interested in the subject. Regardless of the reasons of pursuing the topic of UFOs, their input is invaluable because of the unique perspectives that come with their personality types. His/her thoughts, opinions and views would assist in putting together the entire mosaic that makes up the subject of extraterrestrial and UFO studies.
The three ENTJ’s should present a powerful force in the pursuit of learning more about the UFO and Extraterrestrial subject. With the ability to remain balanced, coupled with the natural born leader trait, they may be writing a book, speaking at a conference or the head of a major corporation. If they are experiencers, the event did happen, and they will quite naturally move through their daily lives. (According to the Personality Type Newsgroup 5% of the people would fall into this category).
The INTP (Introvert-Intuitive-Thinking-Perceiving) category had three responses. These people are concerned with the pursuit of truth. In Ufology, that is what most researchers and individuals with an experience want, but the INTP would be more direct about exposing the truth. Undeniably, the researchers would be digging in every possible FIOA document they could obtain. These people may also be looking into the future and how the subject may play a role. For an experiencer, he/she would probably question what had occurred looking for other explanations. He/she might also be critical of others experiences if they did not match his/her own. For the person who is interested in the subject, but, may have no experience upon which to base their interest, it might be that looking into the future approach that drives him/her to learn more about the subject. (According to the Personality Type Newsgroup 1% of the people would fall into this category).
There are five ISTJ’s (Introvert-Sensing-Thinking-Judging) identified in the survey. These are the people you want as your next door neighbor. He/she would be viewed as good citizen. As a researcher, he/she is grounded in facts. More than likely, he/she will stick to the reference material that can support what the person is attempting to explain or understand. As an experiencer, he/she will more than likely relate what happened to them and not embellish an experience. As someone interested in the subject, he/she may see it is an emerging interest in the world today and curious as to where it might go. (According to the Personality Type Newsgroup 6% of the people would fall into this category).
There are eight individuals in the INFP (Introvert-Intuition-Feeling-Perceiving) category. As a researcher, he/she is probably looking at the subject from the view point of his/her own values. He/she also would be more willing to look at a wide variety of data injected into the UFO community. As an experiencer, he/she probably would be cautious about selecting a confidant to share the story, yet may have a need to know he/she is not the only one and seek those secure friendships. The person just simply interested in the subject is probably looking at possibilities: Could it be real? Was it a weather balloon? (According to the Personality Type Newsgroup 1% of the people would fall into this category).
ENFJ (Extravert-Intuitive-Feeling-Judging) has eleven people representing this category. As a researcher, such a person would be outstanding at gathering information, even from sources that might not be so willing to disclose. He/she is people oriented, and others would be comfortable in his/her presence for disclosing of the unusual event. If the subject of UFOs or experiencers interested him/her, he/she would be adept at locating information related to the subject he/she wishes to write or speak about. As an experiencer, he/she may need acceptance from other experiencers. If this is someone just interested, he/she might be attracted to understanding experiencers' or researchers' points of view. (According to the Personality Type Newsgroup 5% of the people would fall into this category).
In the survey, there are twenty-five INTJ’s (Introvert-Intuitive-Thinking-Feeling). As researchers, they are insightful. They can follow patterns and leads and determine what is going to become a dead end and what is worthy of pursuit. They do not have to comprehend if the concept is real but will find useful ways to apply the notion of UFOs and Extraterrestrials in a real world setting. They are good observers and think globally. Oddly enough, they are also natural leaders but generally prefer the background unless they see a real need to assert themselves. As experiencers, they will probably constantly question their experience, always asking questions of others and themselves. They also have a high value of intelligence and have an insight to the big picture. They may come up with answers others cannot see. (According to the Personality Type Newsgroup 1% of the people would fall into this category).
There are twenty-one people who indicated an INFJ (Introvert-Intuition-Feeling-Judging) personality type. As a researcher, he/she is very intuitive, like the INTJs. He/she is globally minded, considers the bigger picture and is quite capable of assembling patterns and information into an organized manner. As an experiencer, this person would also be intuitive to the point of seeming clairvoyant. He/she would probably be actively looking for others that have similar experience; but, if conflict arose, both parties would most likely agree to disagree. As someone interested in the subject, it might be hard to ascertain why he/she is curious. This group may want to keep the topic of UFOs/Extraterrestrials to him/herself. (According to the Personality Type Newsgroup 1% of the people would fall into this category).
Five categories were not even represented: ESFJ (13%), ESFP (13%), ENTP (5%), ISTP (5%), and ISFP (5%). The numbers in parenthesis identify the percentages of the population according to the Personality Type Newsgroup. Why are these individuals not represented? For the ESFJ (Extrovert-Sensing-Feeling-Judging) and the ISTP (Introvert-Sensing-Thinking-Perceiving) who live in the world today based on current known facts, the subject of UFO/Extraterrestrials may simply hold no interest. Looking at the ISFP (Introvert-Sensing-Feeling-Perceiving) and the ESFP (Extravert-Sensing-Feeling-Perceiving), they may have a lack of interest in anything UFO/Extraterrestrial and life beyond Earth would be in conflict with their value system. I would have expected the ENTP (Extravert-Intuitive-Thinking-Perceiving) to be represented due to their interest in the world at large. One possibility could be their pursuit of interest is based on experience and unless they have had a direct experience with a UFO/Extraterrestrial subject they just simply would have no interest.
Temperature Rising
Dr. David Kiersey’s work posits that personality types can be further refined by what he calls Temperament Groups. There are two main temperament categories: One being the “Expressive” and the other being the “Attentive.” The sixteen temperaments, identified by the sixteen four letter personality trait codes fall into one of these two categories.
What is meant by “Expressive” is that people would be able to identify their wants and needs and effectively communicate them to others. Individuals are identified and placed into personality categories based on their responses to a personality survey. These surveys can be found on-line, in books, or given by a professional. In this particular survey of the 16 temperament groups, the following fit into the “Expressive” category: Teacher-ENFJ (14%), Field Marshall-ENTJ (4%), Supervisor-ESTJ (1%), Promoters-ESTP (1%), Champion-ENFP (1%), Performer-ESFP (0%), Provider-ESFJ (0%), and Inventor-ENTP (0%). The percentages are a reflection of those individuals represented in the survey.
The “Attentive” individuals, by my understanding, would be people who concentrate on details. In this survey of the 16 temperament groups, the following fit into the “attentive” category: Mastermind-INTJ (30%), Counselor-INFJ (22%), Healer-INFP (9%), Protector-ISFJ (8%), Inspector-ISTJ (6%), Architect-INTP (4%), Crafter-ISTP (0%), and Composer-ISFP (0%). The percentages reflect those individuals who participated in the Now Project survey.
Looking at this survey, and the idea of Ufology as a community, it has a representation of a wide variety of mindsets to move in a productive direction to build and sustain the community. I have frequently heard the term “UFO Community.” This survey may show the reason why this reference is made.
I am of the mindset that statistical driven reports do not have to be boring. Consequently, I am employing creative license to construct a parallel universe. I will give the name Esperientzia (Basque for "experience") to the UFO community that I am imagining based on the sixteen temperaments as defined by Dr. David Kiersey. I believe the personality survey will show a difference between our UFO community of Esperientzia and the typical population in everyday society. Remember: I am contrasting the personality types found in the real world with those found in a fictitious UFO community, based on the survey’s data.
Keep in mind this is coming from the perception of my insight. Someone else may read this report and have a different interpretation. That is fine. I am not telling anyone what they should think or how they should approach the subject.
In Esperientzia, the majority of the population has the “Mastermind Temperament.” Imagine a place where the majority of the people are independent and science minded. We would not find this type highly represented in a typical real world community. In our fictitious world, they would be working independently on connections they find or perceive to be in the study of UFOs and experience. They would be members of the community with a rather odd sense of humor because they can accurately pull information from what appears to be unrelated subjects and make connections worthy of having more in depth analysis. They might entertain ideas on subjects such as ancient history, contemporary science and modern medicine and pursue a thought that a connection could legitimately be made between those subjects and the UFO/Extraterrestrial question. In our real world environment they may be doctors, scientists, military leaders or lawyers. They will move society forward, provide advancements, and keep us honest.
The “Councilor Temperament” is the next representation in the community of Esperientzia. In a regular community they are not highly represented. These people make a nice addition to the community if one can get to know them. They are guarded with their experiences and will only share when they feel they can trust someone else. They are very caring and have a powerful insight to the human condition. They are a great asset to the masterminds because they can assist them in reaching their full potential and offer a more considerate and caring nature in obtaining viable information for study from other individuals. In our intrinsic society they may serve a wide variety of occupations such as clergy, teachers, child care providers and psychologists. I believe they would be invested in helping the community.
So far 52 percent of Esperientzians are individual, insightful and well organized in their pursuits.
A society would not be complete without its “Teacher Temperament.” This is the group that can effectively bring the rest of the UFO community together. I could easily see these citizens as the organizers of conferences, group meetings, and encouraging participation. With their organized energy, they can inspire the others to continue pursuing knowledge of the UFO/Extraterrestrial experience in a positive way. The “Teacher” may also be the bridge builders, offering expansion into other communities by creating positive venues to learn about the subject of UFOs and Experience. In our real world they would be consultants, event coordinators, politicians and teachers, of course.
In our community of Esperientzia we now have 66 percent of the population represented. In our ordinary society this would so far only represent 7 percent of the population. (These percentages are based on those provided by the Personality News Group).
Any successful community would need its “Healer Temperament.” They are going to care about the citizenry. They would be good moderators for debates and keeping the subject in focus. They might also find themselves in a position as referee in disputes about the subject of UFO/Extraterrestrials between experiencers when conflict arises. In everyday society we might find these individuals as a health care provider, a social worker or a minister. In my opinion they would be the group that keeps our community healthy.
Presently, have 75 percent of the UFO community Esperientzia represented. In typical society, we have only 8 percent of the population represented thus far. It is almost as if you took the norm and flipped it upside down. Before the Internet age, Esperientzia would have had difficulty growing because its citizens are too far from each other to collaborate and organize.
While following the idea of the community concept, the next group would be the “Inspector Temperament.” They might focus on who is working in what area of the community. They would be inclined to set guidelines for the area of research and expect other to follow the template. In our tangible culture these individuals may be our police officers, business executives or even computer programmers.
The next group would be the “Field Marshall Temperament” and might very well be the leaders in the community. This community would need very few leaders; and, in my opinion, that would be a positive outcome. It would allow the others to pursue their ideas and unique areas of interest in the subject of UFO and extraterrestrials without judgment. If there were a peer review body needed in this subject, these people would be an asset. In our everyday society they might be our college professors, entrepreneurs or building our organizations. They are supporting our development with new ideas.
All communities need their “Protector Temperament” to assist the others as they present new ideas. They are not particularly interested in change so in that aspect there might be some problem allowing the subject to move forward. However, they are also well grounded and would be able to restrain the misguided researchers. In our tangible culture they would be our nurses, child care providers, social workers or even administrators. They would provide social services we need to assist others.
With the last three added to the community of Esperientzia, we now have 93 percent of the community represented. In real world at large we have accounted for 25 percent of the citizens. We are still fairly upside down considering the norm.
Although not highly represented in this survey, we do have a “Supervisor Temperament.” These people would have a leadership role in the service to community. These individuals would be valuable in organizing conferences and be quite successful. They would also be great on a board of review because they are not highly represented in this community and could offer unbiased insight that someone might overlook. These people would be in leadership positions such as military officers, financial officers and sales representatives.
The “Architect Temperament” in Esperientzia is looking for the possibilities that their experiences with either a sighting or a contact interact with others in the community using their judgment to identify patterns and come up with concrete ideas as to what has occurred. In our real world they would be our strategic planners, forensics researchers and mathematicians.
The ‘Promoter Temperament” of the community will take action and have fun doing it. They would more than likely be the ones to bring the subject of UFOs and Extraterrestrials alive and tempt others to want to take a look at it. They will find ways to present information that no one would have ever considered. They will work hard in their endeavors in support of Esperientzia. These individuals might be represented in our concrete world as paramedics, pc technicians or marketing personnel-- an unusual mix in my opinion.
The “Champion Temperament” in this community has gone public with her/his experience. This group wants people to know about their experience and does not feel a need to be guarded. These individuals could hold a wide variety of positions in our everyday society such as, television reporter, engineer, actors or consultants.
We now have the whole community represented at 100 percent while only seeing 56 percent of the rest of the population in the real world setting. So what happened to the other 44 percent of the population? Is there one variable they might have in common that would keep them from participating in this UFO community?
Keep in mind this is a survey of 85 people so this tally may not be a final representation of the UFO Community. I have three ideas as to why the other personality types are not represented.
First, the “Inventor Temperament” and the “Crafter Temperament” are those responsible for the construction of our real world. They are the ones that have provided our architecture, our inventions, and our hand crafted items. I will hazard a guess they are grounded in what they can see and feel from a very solid perspective. I believe they are looking at what can be improved in our world right now so the subject of UFO/Extraterrestrials may hold little interest. In the community of Esperientzia we could be missing scientists, engineers, consultants, carpenters, athletes or pilots. Perhaps in this particular community there would not be a strong need for sporting events, builders or transportation. Secondly, the “Composer Temperament” and “Performer Temperament” are those that provide entertainment in everyday society. I would think they would be focused on the next movie they will film, learning a part in a play, or humming along to a new song. I seriously doubt the actors on stage preforming Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” are interested in extraterrestrials as an audience. I equally doubt singing Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me with Your Best Shot” to a UFO would be advisable. Esperientzia may not have a real need for fashion designers, veterinarians, forest rangers, actors or interior decorators; consequently, they are not represented.
Finally, I would have expected to see the “Provider Temperament,” represented in this survey. The one thing I can see as to why they were not portrayed is they like to entertain. In Ufology, people do not necessarily want to be entertained. In our intrinsic society they could be our doctors, nurses or social workers. It may be other aspects of their personalities that explain why we would not find them in Esperientzia.
Keep in mind our typical society needs the Inventor, the Crafter, the Composer, the Performer and the Provider people; they are absolutely indispensable.
Art of Experience
So far I have mostly focused on researchers and community. Looking at the Portraits (identified in Dr. David Kiersey’s personality trait models) of those involved in the survey, I will take a look from an experiencer's point of view. I do know many people involved in the survey were identified as having an experience of some kind.
I am not looking at providing definitive explanation for those individuals with an experience such as a sighting, abduction or visitation. I do know some people are unclear as to what happened or even if there was really some kind of encounter. I regard these individuals as explorers. They are looking at possibilities. Keep in mind the next section is opinion. Someone else might look at the same information and form different perspectives or conclusions.
It is not my position to tell anyone what they should believe, how they should feel about, or what information they should pursue in their own pursuit to define their own personal experiences. When people responded, 60 percent identified themselves as having some kind of experience; 25 percent gave no information either way; 14 percent implied they were simply just interested in the subject; and 1 percent said they were just a researcher.
There are some common threads with the experiencers. I was fairly certain a high percentage of individuals in this survey view society globally. Keeping in mind the reality of today’s date I do not think everyone is ready for the idea of global society. I am not promulgating the idea of a one world government. I am more focused on the idea of finding what we do have in common and making that a primary guide for change. A large portion of these individuals also tend to look at the future as in what may be or possible to happen and have a desire to explore life from this point of view.
I was not surprised to find that 90 percent of the people in this survey would fit into the category of a global thinker. The key element of a global society could be the root foundation of their chosen interests in life. I would also like to note that many people with whom I have spoken did not define a particular global view or a real interest until after a UFO/Extraterrestrial experience had occurred. They may have had the propensity to look at the world this way, but it did not become insightful until the experience happened.
Another common thread would be the intuitive nature of people in this category of experiencers. In the survey, 66 percent of the people who responded would be identified by the personality trait as having a high degree of intuitiveness. They have an inner sense of understanding about the world around them, including the people in it.
I also felt it important to note that 34 percent of people in this survey are those in society who put others above themselves. They have that need to want to see others succeed and care about the general well-being for humanity as a whole.
I thought it was interesting that 3 percent of the people in this survey were those who live in the here and now and want to take life for what it is at the moment. Exploring the ideas of UFO/Extraterrestrial experience is not something I would think they would find interesting. They would consider reality as being what we know today as opposed to considering what it may become in the future.
Again, I want to emphasize that there is no one right or wrong personality. As in needing a diverse gene pool to provide for the inevitable changes associated with evolution, I believe we need a plethora of personalities to keep life interesting. Each individual contributes to the holistic view of the human condition, and all have an important role in this thing we call Life.
In conclusion, The Now Project became a nice continuation of my pursuit into compiling information that might be relevant in furthering the study of the phenomenon of extraterrestrial experience. There were compelling patterns concerning people involved with the subject of UFO and extraterrestrials. I see it as a small piece of developing a mosaic that may someday provide some answers or even raise more questions about the approach of research in a subject that seems to be as vast and endless as the Universe itself.
Final Thoughts
Consider a painting by a brilliant still life artist in the vein of Vermeer. The painting is of a table in a room with an open window allowing light to illuminate a bowl of fruit. The artist also included a tiny, black fly hidden in the shadows at the base of the bowl.
In my opinion more than likely 72 percent (represents 1% or less of the personality types identified in the survey) of the world would see the bowl of fruit. About 16 percent (represents 2% to 6% of the personality types identified in the survey) may or may not notice the fly in the shadows. Only about 12 percent (represents 7% and above of those personality types included in the survey) would say, “Check out that little fly!” It is this 12 percent who are searching to explain and share their experiences without the threat of being labeled or judged because of their encounter. It is also that same 12 percent that will push the world forward and promote change, new ideas, technologies, and advancements in our typical society.
In the subject of UFO and extraterrestrials, people might have a proclivity to be guarded in what they share or how they honestly feel about their experiences. They may feel isolated in their attempt to find someone to whom they can relate their experiences or trust not to judge them.
If your neighbor, family member, coworker, or even local police officer is one of those who have had a sighting or an experience, they are not weird or suffering from a malady. They are simply an integral part of what makes society work as a whole.
Author’s note: I have made every attempt to properly reference the materials I read to formulate opinions in regards to this survey. The majority of the personality type’s project references are based on Dr. David Kiersey’s work in the subject concerning the Temperament Groups and the Portraits.
This project could not have been completed without the assistance of my editor, Mark Eddy, whose “loving pickiness” made the Now Project famous or infamous.
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