It is the responsibility of archaeologists to combat pseudoarchaeology wherever they can. The issue is where can they? Pseudoarchaeology is like a creeping vine with roots in the mainstream that are nearly impossible to go for. Besides that, archaeologists have work of their own to do, and asking them to actively go forth and fight a battle for truth is asking a lot. Combating pseudoarchaeology is a grey issue. If it’s an archaeologist’s responsibility to speak out against it, just how active should they be in this seeking out? What avenues should the use to speak out against juggernauts like “Ancient Aliens”?

As we discussed in class, going on these shows and hoping you can sway an audience with objective truth never works out. It doesn’t matter what you say or how you say it, in the end it’s the editors who decide what words the world hears and they are always on the show’s side. They will always push their own narrative.

The people who watch these shows may be swayed, however, and an archaeologist might be able to have an effect one person at a time. By debunking the “theories” on Ancient Aliens to relatives and friends who may have fallen prey to the flashy History Channel logo, one could hopefully make them see that the show has no basis in truth or fact. It may also encourage people to think more critically about any show they see that claims these far out ideas are truths.

In the end it’s the critical thinking that’s important. If people are able to look at shows like Ancient Aliens and do their own research instead of blindly following whatever the show tells them the prevalence of pseudoarchaeology would lessen. This isn’t true just for pseudoarchaeology either, this would be helpful for any field where “documentaries” may skew things to fit the ideals of whoever is making the media.

Public outreach is becoming a major part of an archaeologist’s job. When working in a field school we had many children who visited to learn about archaeology. Educating the youth on exactly what archaeology is (NOT Indiana Jones or other fantastical portrayals on tv) will help them ask questions while watching things like Ancient Aliens. Teaching children critical thinking skills, and how to properly research topics using scholarly sources, would help fight pseudoarchaeological ideas. We do teach research to children somewhat, but many students don’t learn how to properly find information until late in high school or even college.