The Silver Lining
So, I will admit that so far this has been a fairly negative piece about the findings of Mr. Osmanagic. That isn’t because of a personal vendetta I have against the gentleman, just a particular appreciation for the science that goes into each of the discoveries we find.
More importantly, this is a piece that discusses the positives that can come from something that could be viewed by many as a negative. You see, when the pyramids became more popular the tourism in the area increased.
Increased tourism lead to small souvenir shops popping up, selling all types of items based on the Pyramids of the Sun. This brought in a significant amount of income to individuals that had struggled before.
So why the answers are likely black and white as far as science and Semir are concerned, the damage that he is doing is more of a gray area. He has brought notice to a previously unknown area in Bosnia, giving those that have had a hard life a way to ease it.
This is a long and difficult piece about a man that may be a genius in his own right while also being a danger to those that do not do their research. At the same time, it is about how the actions of individuals can take a situation that creates heated debate against some of the most scholarly individuals out there and turn it into something exciting and fun, as well as a way to make a living.
The same thing happened in Area 51. Before the conspiracies captured our imaginations, there was struggle. Now, even if we don’t believe that aliens are being held in Area 51, the surrounding shops are fun to visit, buy from and fantasize about what if.
So the question now is what will these spheres bring to the people that live nearby? Will they be able to build up a small community of shops and tourist attractions? If so, can you really disagree with what Osmanagic is doing?