On this day in 1835, the New York Sun posted the first of six articles detailing fantastical stories about the discovery of intelligent life on the moon.
They were supposedly written by Dr. Andrew Grant, a fictional character who claimed to be a colleague of well-known astronomer Sir John Herschel.
The articles claimed that Herschel discovered the new beings after setting up a powerful telescope at a new observatory in Capetown, South Africa.
The observatory, it turns out, was the only true part of the story.
The articles depicted a lunar geography replete with thriving vegetation, rivers, and massive gemstones. The surface was inhabited by unicorns, two-legged beavers, and furry, winged humans that looked like a cross between angels and bats.
And while the Sun would eventually admit that the articles were intended as satire designed to show the absurdity of other popular theories on extraterrestrial life, they only did so after a solid month of sales helped them become one of the most popular newspapers in the world.
Interestingly, the general public didn’t seem to mind, as sales remained strong even after admitting the articles were a hoax.
Perhaps people were simply grateful for the entertainment and chance to dream regardless of whether or not the impetus for those dreams was real.
And if there were any embarrassment or anger, which there surely was among some, it seems to have dissipated amidst people’s ability to laugh at themselves and appreciate the absurd.
The best at laughing at ourselves
In reading about this story, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like if a newspaper tried to do the same thing today.
If a publication found a way to convince the public that intelligent life existed in fantastical colonies on Jupiter, for example, what would be the reaction if they later said it was all made up?
I ask the question because I believe our culture, both inside and outside…
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