We come at this topic from exactly opposite directions.
I have zero interest in academic analysis.
Human anecdotes from history and the present are data that get my attention.
https://podbay.fm/p/aliens-and-artists
Anecdotes are considered the least reliable form of information, especially when compared to empirical evidence or when the anecdote is used to substantiate a desired conclusion (this is called confirmation bias, one of the cognitive biases).