On December 26, 1985, author Whitley Strieber claims to have been abducted from his home in upstate New York by non-human visitors. The experience was so profound that he wrote a book about it — Communion, which became a #1 Times bestseller and spawned several follow-ups. But the question remains: is Whitley Strieber just another horror author who’s taken his writing too far, or is he a reality pioneer trying to tell us something deeper about our universe?
The evidence for Strieber’s claims is circumstantial at best. There is no physical proof of the abduction, nor any reliable witnesses who could corroborate his story outside of his own account. And yet, many people find themselves drawn to the story and its implications — that there may be forces out there beyond our understanding that are capable of intervening in our lives.
In fact, Communion made such an impact on popular culture that it spawned numerous films, tv shows, and even video games based on the concept of alien abduction.
But while some take Strieber’s claims at face value and believe him to be telling the truth about what happened to him in 1985, others remain skeptical of his story. Some think it’s simply a clever marketing ploy he concocted in order to sell books and draw attention to himself; others view it as an extreme example of sleep paralysis — a condition that can cause vivid hallucinations in those suffering from it. Still, others think that he had some sort of mental breakdown or psychotic episode which caused him to fabricate the entire experience in his mind.
Regardless of which camp you fall into, one thing is certain: Whitley Strieber has become a figurehead for those interested in exploring paranormal phenomena, with some hailing him as a visionary while others decry him as a fraudster who’s taken advantage of gullible readers desperate for answers.
His podcast “Dreamland” continues to draw listeners eager for more insight into this mysterious realm — but whether they’re seeking truth or entertainment remains up for debate.
Whatever your opinion may be about Whitley Strieber’s claims of alien abduction back in 1985 (and whatever you may make of them), one thing is certain — they have inspired generations of people all over the world to explore their curiosity about other worlds and life forms beyond our own planet Earth. Whether you believe Strieber’s story or not, there’s no denying the impact it has had on the fields of science fiction and horror fiction literature over the past three decades.
And if nothing else, we should use this opportunity to say thank you to Whitley Streiber for making us open our minds and explore what lies beyond our grasp — even if only through words on paper!
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