Not sure why this below is included, seems a bit unclear what you are saying and possibly superfluous to your question - — Tom Storm

"As for now this discovery would be purely observational". An obvious impact a discovery of such magnitude would have is people falsely claiming things for personal, corporate, and political gain, like we already do with a supposed God, possible visitors, and even normal human experiences. There is money in everything and in this post modern world money seems to be the key factor to any major change.

There is no doubt in my mind that we would try to communicate with or learn more about them. I am merely saying that for the sake of this discussion (that you don't seem to want to be a part of :wink:) we can not communicate with them.

What's this last bit below doing here? ... Why 'only be aware'? What does this omission of personal experience add to your scenario? — Tom Storm

I am trying to paint a scenario of collectively coming to terms with their existence. Not that we all of a sudden are having frequent encounters with them and the change that experience would have on society. I am interested in how we would relate and adapt to this discovery. If and how our individual- as well as societal view of this world and our own existence would change.

I think you also need to clarify your dot point on 'paranormal presence'. — Tom Storm

The paranormal entities are of unknown origin. The discovery does not state whether or not they are spirits or ghosts as in some kind of "residue" of a human soul. All we know is there are something sentient here among us that is not bound by the laws of physics as we commonly know them.

My first guess, if such a discovery was made, would be that they are some kind of intelligent life existing in the same spectrum as dark matter, for an example. We know it's there, but we do not know what it is. Maybe they lived here on earth in physical form at some point in time but transcended into whatever form they now are. Maybe they did so through technology or perhaps some kind of interdimensional woo-woo. It was all woo-woo, but now it is real. So woo-woo is real. It's anyone's guess.

I find @Agent Smith's post to be quite fitting,

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. — Arthur C. Clarke

Paranormal easily. This would reignite waning religious beliefs quite a lot I imagine.

ET is a given in my mind and that of many others whereas paranormal activity is in fringe coo-coo land. The more surprising the discovery generally means the largest impact it will have on society at large (short and/or long term). — I like sushi

I see your point, but I am not that fast to jump to conclusions. I believe the impact of each scenario would be polar opposites.

I believe proof of extra terrestrial life would spark an immense increase in funding of scientific fields relating to astronomy, interplanetary and intergalactic traveling, quantum physics, and so on. If we can observe them all that is needed is enough money and time and eventually we will "reach" them. The possible gain in knowledge, technology, and even resources when dealing with an extra terrestial civilization is more tangible, from both a scientific and corporate perspective, than highly ambiguous paranormal entities thus leading to a more immediate worldly change. Not necessarily for the better though.

I am not as quick to come to my own personal conclusion when it comes to proof of paranormal entities among us. However, I do not believe it would lead to the same kind of strive to interact with them and therefore not lead to an immediate worldly change. We would have to tread very lightly to not offend anyone whether it be religious fanatics or the average spiritualist. Also, we know nothing about these entities. Scientific experiments could lead to us opening a Pandora's box. To not cause a global conflict of biblical proportions we would probably have to leave them alone.

We as common people, plebes if you will, are very warmed up to the statistical probabilty of extra terrestrial life. It would not be an overwhelming transition from a world where we look up at the stars and wonder to a world where we know they exist and pursue a future of intergalactic relations.

Ghosts though? What would we even do with that information? Would it be one of those things that wasn't but now is, and we just shrug our shoulders and go about our day as usual? The scientific community would definitely be interested and people in power would want to capitalize on this discovery, but what would they be able to do without risking serious blowback and conflict?

Thank you, friendly stranger.

I have been lurking around this forum for a while now. I will try to join in on a few discussions when I have finally settled on the other side of the continent.

Thank you for taking the time to read my hopeless and rage fueled rant of self-pity. Thank you even more for taking the time to respond to this in a way that made me feel seen and heard.

Since I posted this, I have decide to leave my job of two and a half years, and leave the country I am currently residing in, to go help a childhood friend who has been dealing with sickness in his family for a long time and is consequently struggling with the family business.

I am leaving here in 7 days. I am going to swing by my hometown to sort a few things out, and tell my aunt (the 80 year old lady) I love her, before heading up to the arctic in about 14 days. I have a place to stay, and everything is taken care of. It was all just a call away. It is time to give back to this family, and this mountain range community, that gave me so much love, care, and enjoyment when I was a lost adolescent and young adult.

It's not all for him though. I need to do good in order to feel good. I must surround myself with nature and inspiring people I respect and love in order to not lose myself in the egocentric self-realization of the inner city. I need a long break. I am getting out. Hopefully this will bring me back to a path in life I can be proud of.

Insert "Well that escalated quickly"-meme. It feels much better now. It's not the first time a mental breakdown leads to major changes in my life. I have been struggling with depression for about 20 years now. I know I lose control of emotion and thought. Thank you for pointing that out, as it slips my mind at times.