[Loquebantur]

The point here is people succumbing to confirmation bias and circular reasoning. That article is no simple 'clickbait'-nonsense.

Objectively, importance is judged via cumulative consequences over time. The event of contact with non-human higher intelligence can hardly be over-stated in that regard.

Being made fools of by your government to such a degree, you would risk missing a potentially world-changing event, is also quite something.