Mutual corroboration among UFO whistleblowers proves nothing about truth.

Evidence

I think any serious student of the UFO subject would do well to put these alleged whistleblowers, secret space program aficionados and the click-bait vultures that promote them to one side. Sure, people will always listen and be entertained by them, but let’s call it what it is—ufotainment. I’m always amused when people hold up one whistleblower as credible, simply because of apparently corroborating stories, whilst the next is deemed laughable. Almost none of them have provided any credible evidence as to what they are supposedly revealing. In that respect they are all even. The fact that two or more stories may apparently corroborate one another is not corroboration of anything. How easy would it be for individuals—or the intelligence community—to fabricate such a set up? — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 855

Categorization

• SEED: An essay angle: ‘mutual corroboration is not corroboration’ as a general epistemic test — applicable to conspiracy claims, whistleblower testimony, and even how readers weigh multiple confirming sources.
• XREF: connects to: Bare assertions of non-hostility cannot substitute for authenticable facts — Thomas C. Schelling, The Strategy of Conflict, 569; Knowing the facts provides no strategy when opponents are immune to evidence — Holm Gero Hümmler, Ulrike Schiesser, Fact and Prejudice: How to Communicate…, 67; Paul Bennewitz-type UFO lore grew into a full alien-government collusion narrative by 1987. — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic…, 446

Broader Connections

• Bare assertions of non-hostility cannot substitute for authenticable facts #corroborates (0.82) — Thomas C. Schelling, The Strategy of Conflict, 569
• Knowing the facts provides no strategy when opponents are immune to evidence #complicates (0.75) — Holm Gero Hümmler, Ulrike Schiesser, Fact and Prejudice, 67