There's very much an age thing going on here isn't there, oddly I was reading an article the other day that fits with this:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/23/us/politics/pentagon-ufo-harry-reid-navy.html
It's a long article but the key points for me are the post cold war hysteria of denying possibilities just caused a situation and fear that we'd miss threats terrestrial or alien as no one dare report odd encounters.
Thankfully it seems we're reverting back to more serious review of unexplained phenomena rather than meme level responses like tinfoil hats.
There's enough mad shit out there no matter the explanation that it warrants proper consideration, more so given the constant technological leaps being made. The crack pot UFO nutters and those on the opposite side who deny out of habit are both damaging actors in a serious conversation.