When will the Penny Drop?... A Social Comment. 

 I’ve just re-read my article of last year… ’Visiting UK crop circles during the 2014 season' see on CGI page Crop Circle Connector). This was actually written in the winter of 2013.  The first thing that hit me, and actually I wasn’t that surprised, was that things are little different on the visitor front during this 2014 season. Yes, the phenomenon itself has changed, it responded and a major demographic  shift has occurred, mostly away from the tensions of Wiltshire but the people behaviour has not changed….almost stubborn. The main (but not all) culprits, who are not British nationals incidentally, seem to be led by those driven by business motives which in itself can compromise better judgement quite often.

But…one really does need to question the business acumen behind the latest CC at Echilhampton though. The farmer has been  guaranteed on paper  a sum of  £750 with £150 up front  by our CC ticket peddling people at the museum (farmer showed us the document)…a very desperate measure I would say especially after all the big groups have been and gone!  No one on the gate to look after the farmer (I saw people climbing all over the fences and one up a telegraph pole! …a car at 45 degrees up the bank)) and no obligation for anyone to buy a ticket…they can just walk in for free the farmer told us. Poor man, I think he is a bit bemused by the whole business. This CC certainly did not resonate with us…does it with you ? Why am I thinking negative equity here? We will be connecting with this farmer , who is a friend of ours, later on to see if the agreement has been honoured! £750.  Fairs, fair.

 Whether it be under pressure to take a group of people into the CC for financial gain or something to do with photographs…which would be EGO related most probably, the frantic, ruthless and almost ‘at any cost’ driven energies of some are a common denominator. Put into perspective, the taking of CC pictures is not essential  for the survival of Mankind on Earth one might say so people do have choice here. For those outside of ‘core CC community’  all this probably sounds a bit perplexing but believe me there is so much you do not know…that which keeps the ‘show’ on the road! So, in short, the practice of unauthorised entry into CCs has provoked most farmers into a ‘cutting’ mentality.  Crop Circle Connector will no longer post these ‘illegal’ pictures, those without farmer permission, a position I applaud as it discourages trespass and disrespect.

Many observations would suggest those visitors with seasoned history, the long standing visitors very confident and quite often arrogant with it, know all the answers you could say, would be the ones most determined to enter without permission…the very people who should be setting an example to others.

Anyway, the way some of it works is like this…all have a right to know the truth…..

 These invaders , predominately Dutch and following their leader like well  behaved children have become very organised and send up one of their nationals in a micro light aircraft at 8am. each morning on recognisance looking for CCs in Wiltshire. If successful the find is quite often kept secret, held back until the others have had time to visit in private and before everything kicks off…before the farmer knows and denying CGI the chance to negotiate. The fact they have been visiting for years has established a stubborn habit and old habits are historically the hardest to change. The problem here though, as was demonstrated I think three times this season, was that their selfish short sighted behaviour added to the farmer angst and fury making a more favourable outcome far less likely. CGI attempts to mediate later in the day and after an encouraging start fell upon stony ground on these occasions needless to say, as any farmer goodwill was lost in consequence. However, CCs are increasing occurring elsewhere, where we are attempting to start afresh…this is my vision for all…CCs with harmony, not all this run-a-round nonsense.

 All I do here is to merely report the facts. Ironically, many of these offenders are the very ones some people unsuspectingly ’love and trust’. Ignorance is bliss as they say!

 These repeat offenders clearly have little insight and/or respect; I feel their peer group should advise accordingly or suggest their energies would be better focussed closer to home. However, if the ‘penny’ doesn’t drop soon, there may be fewer  CCs in the UK to squabble about. The majority of farmers in the County of Wiltshire now have a policy to ‘cut out’ so it’s hard to understand why any people would return anyway…apart from wishful thinking and habit. There is a trend towards migration to other countries already. From these countries I hear little of this type of associated local tension such as we have in the UK. Very telling…too much for too long…all  gone bad, yes?  Perhaps we’ve almost had our time here in the UK.

 In Holland they have a guy with alleged Divine/Supernatural  powers who manages to predict the whereabouts of most CCs there, or so he claims. These CCs are mostly in grass, something never seen in the UK and something I find a bit odd.  In a sense I am surprised more interest is not spent around these wonderful  Dutch CC events by their nationals as has been historically spent around UK CCs. 

And so you see, an interest in CCs can go far beyond the CCs themselves and ancient sites etc. Endless dialogue around the meaning and form… oh so complex, how it’s done… I lose track, features on the landscape and so on is a part but I feel the main purpose of the CCs is to effect Man’s way of doing, to connect with him, and how he interfaces and copes with the CCs and the ensuing social pressures and demands . Even the warning contained within the message we all know….”Beware the bearers of false gits and their broken promises”…was a warning it seems against ourselves.  Progressive thought could follow this pathway with good effect I feel.

  Most long term people in the CC world would probably agree that the Makers are inter-active…they monitor and respond to our behaviour within their arena. On the front line, literally camped right next to a CC for weeks on end must give one some insight, some advantage I guess. I really do get a sense of the bigger picture, observing the trends and features both in terms of the people stuff and the CCs’ content and geography as this evolved/ progressed. There’s no way around this, the Makers seem to be modifying their game-plan according to how us humans deal with their challenging proposition. Etchilhampton today was a classic example how some are forced into a position of desperation only to be turned away, to look foolish.  Of course I can’t know this, but it seems like some CCs are sent as part of a learning curve…sent with a known  predictable outcome, knowing how we, or at least many players will respond  ie… flood  in without thinking/without  respect resulting in farmer fury.  A gift given then sometimes taken away. These guys know our ways far better than we know ourselves, I bet ya! No matter what we try to do, as was made clear in this 2014 season and indeed last season when they  biased their work towards what I call the ‘lighter position’…CC moved from Alton Barnes (cutting zone) to Hackpen Hill where joy reigned for weeks!  For me personally and working on the front line, this can feel intense almost beyond words sometimes, sensing they are so close. I often wonder  how I would cope if at some point I was to have a direct contact with these Makers…not just a flash of light or moving BOL but a real one on one. I now know…I would almost certainly keep my mouth completely shut, keep it to myself. But here’s hoping.…I think!  These are the type of thoughts one has working in such close proximity to it all.

The simple fact is that CGI formulation continues to work well and is slowly making friends further afield, unanimously supported by countless  visitors who all say”…” Keep up the good work”!  This season we raised £3,800 making a total of £8,000 for farmer and charity since we started 4 years ago. Curiously (you may well think) and ironically, there is zero shown-interest and literally silence (apart from a few feeble attempts at manipulation driven by vested interest) for our work from what one could describe as… “Some quarters of the crop circle establishment”… which many perceive as a tad cliquey. That now frankly all seems  a bit tired and outdated viewed from a distance… the exception being  from the now sadly departed WCCSG who promoted our work at their Conference. This indifference is of no concern to me whatsoever as I now realise new blood, some fresh and trusted DNA is long overdue. You may be interested to know that my best feedback comes from the children visitors who, after all, are not ‘wise and weary’ but just speak intuitively and from the heart…they are not ‘time and experience damaged’. This is useful feedback.

 I feel we are now moving into new territory. However, if this CC thing is to move forward substantially beyond mere individual need and public posturing  we could take stock…just as if we had just heard from the Doctor that we had cancer or something. It concentrates the mind and usually pulls most out of their current mind-set…unless we go into denial which is a survival strategy for those who can’t or won’t accept their reality…there’s one or two of those about unfortunately. Our ways of before may not work as we move forward and perhaps we need to review. Forget all the inflated ego and vested interest stuff and  think of what  CCs  could possibly do for Humanity if it was aided with a will to do so. This is not just a merry- go- round of habit and annual holidays, a fairground of yoga, drumming  and chanting, although this is sound spiritual practice) of self- promotion and merchandise (which is not). It’s something that, if we had the vision could actually change the world for the better; well, this is my personal feeling anyway. You may say this notion is wildly over-ambitious but sowing seeds is always a good first move and without vision there will be just more chaos. We all need a pathway to follow.

We are tired in Western culture, and looking more broadly I feel it reasonable and right for all, as a Human Right, to be able/allowed to access things of a higher nature. I try not to get paranoid, I understand to some extent the higher domestic concerns our ‘leaders’ may have. Social balance and economic stability would be in disarray and surely missed if the ‘flying saucer were to land on the White House lawn’. Intimidating helicopters over and media joking aside though, when all is said and done we now have a chance to embrace the miraculous. Let’s make it happen….but slowly, gently….with consciousness and truth. The Makers know all too well who the liars and manipulators in our midst are.

So, this is the way of the Makers…drip feeding at a pace we can cope with. But to do this we really do need to let go of certain irritants in our midst otherwise next year will be more of the same…but worse I dare say! Negative energy I know is a part of our reality but it can be discouraged and minimised. That would make the whole business of transition a whole lot more  easier and far more pleasant. It’s our choice.

Finally, I just by chance happened on a headline on some mainstream website. It read…”The main reason Ms. ‘Somebody’ (apparently well known, celebrity I guess) walked out”… on some trivial soap opera on TV I think!  There were countless hits! Earth shattering  news. People it seems were fascinated…wanted /needed to know this… Oh dear… what’s happening… what are we doing… distraction for the masses?  But more fascinating for me as a social observer, in an alternative headline it would read…”Modern-Day Miracles In Dorset”.  The vast majority of visitors (intact untainted psyche) to the two CCs we were looking after this season in Dorset (interestingly away from the ‘war-zone’ that is Wiltshire) were utterly joyous, fascinated local people and most were first timers walking away (sometimes driving tractors) from their CC experience with often child-like wonder in their eyes. I want to see more of this. How would these two headlines then compare if we were, en mass,  given social permission ,’ allowed’ to explore our reality without ridicule?...in a time in Man’s history when so much is war, greed and want. No wonder the Makers are so concerned for us.

Paul Jacobs (CGI)