A Warning About ET's Intentions

[Gene Steinberg]

Even though certain factions of the UFO movement want us to believe that ET is here to help us overcome our ongoing foolishness, some people in the scientific community believe otherwise.

Consider this article, for example:

Aliens might not be friendly, warns astronomer - Telegraph

 

[Siani]

I especially like the bit in that article where a scientist suggests that our messages into space have gone unanswered not because no-one's there, but because no-one wants to answer the call. That should act as a warning to anyone seeking life on other planets.

 

[Red]

I especially like the bit in that article where a scientist suggests that our messages into space have gone unanswered not because no-one's there, but because no-one wants to answer the call. That should act as a warning to anyone seeking life on other planets.

Either that, or they see us as the toddler who is playing with a phone and not worth responding to.

 

[Stagger]

I've read it, but I can't imagine why we even need a scientist to tell us such an obvious thing.
Channelers and card-holding members of the galactic federation of light will ignore this article anyway.

Projection, on the other hand, is fun.

Imagine if the first ET message received by SETI, once decoded, reads as
"Aging won't limit your amorous activities, if you are with us! Buy once just to try!"
Customer-loyalty program included.

There could also be some "gentleET" claiming that humans are purely benevolent beings who love and respect all forms of extra terrestrial life. He'd also sell the ability to summon earthlings at will.

If it turns out that we are alone, it might not be such terrible news after all.

 

[stonehart]

Well I am glad some people are using some logic and reason when it comes to broadcasting to the universe as I have always felt that we really should not be sending calling cards out into the great unknown. Here is another article about SETI and some plans to be active in sending messages into space. http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20527441.300-exolanguage-do-you-speak-alien.html?page=1 To me it seems extremely near sighted to think that ETs have any good intentions for us. What comes to mind whenever I hear the discloser people and SETI harp on about the great things alien contact would bring is the conquest of the new world by the European powers. It would seem to me that whenever a more advanced technological society comes in contact with one that is far less so it is the less advanced society that will lose out in the end. Let’s face it we have no idea what is out there and to think that none of it is hostile is really the makings a fatal error.

 

[Schuyler]

If there were a nearby ET civilization that discovered our existence, our basic attitude, and the current level of our technology, the most rational thing they could do would be to hurl a couple of asteroids our way. Their own existence as a species might very well be in question and they could not afford to make any other decision.

 

[David Biedny]

If there were a nearby ET civilization that discovered our existence, our basic attitude, and the current level of our technology, the most rational thing they could do would be to hurl a couple of asteroids our way.

Wait, haven't we seen that movie?

dB

 

[bobheck]

If there were a nearby ET civilization that discovered our existence, our basic attitude, and the current level of our technology, the most rational thing they could do would be to hurl a couple of asteroids our way. Their own existence as a species might very well be in question and they could not afford to make any other decision.

Aww, don't be so hard on us. I'm sure all advanced civilizations out there had to get past their tribal stages. They obviously have patience with us. We should show a little for ourselves, don't you think?

 

[Stagger]

Aww, don't be so hard on us. I'm sure all advanced civilizations out there had to get past their tribal stages. They obviously have patience with us. We should show a little for ourselves, don't you think?

I hope you are right.
OTOH I'm afraid it might be a sign that we are not yet past what is referred to as the "great filter" in Nick Bostrom's paper, the implication being that in fact most civilizations don't make it past their tribal stages. I guess we'll find out, sooner or later.

 

[stonehart]

Let us put the shoe on the other foot so to speak. Now imagine hypothetically our civilisation in say a century or so from now judging that by that point we may have achieved the basic ability for interstellar travel. What would we do if we came across a signal from a civilisation that is say as advanced as we were around the 1930s or 40s and within an achievable distance? Judging by our past track record of conquest or at the very least interference I do not think the civilisation we made contact with would fare so well. Even with the best of intentions it would be best left alone by us. In my opinion it would bode well for us to remain as silent as we can and not attract to much more attention. I really do not believe that ET is friendly and I most certainly do not think that it has the best of intentions toward us if we factor at all. If ET is here already it is for its own agenda. The thing we may be missing here and it is a very big point is that we have be pouring radio signals into space for the past century anyway and I expect on the infrared spectrum we must look very bright. Now yes it is true that some if not most of those signals are moving at a relatively slow speed all in all but how long will it be until some one hears them if they have not already? Well just some food for thought.

 

[trl985]

People always bring up the idea that less sophisticated civilizations will be consumed by the more advanced one. And while I'm sure if somebody landed in plain sight tomorrow it would have a serious impact on us, I don't think it necessarily has to happen the way it has in the past. Yes there a lot of terrible small minded people on this planet, but I'd like to think that at least some of us have learned from the mistakes of the past. Aside from missionaries and anthropologists, who has interest in exploiting primitive people still left in isolated places they way we once would have? We don't go out to enslave them or wipe them out. It certainly pays to be cautious, but the optimistic part in me likes to think that we and others will outgrow those more primitive urges.

 

[Schuyler]

I think there are at least three motivators here and what we or they would do depends on these issues.

1. Resources (ala Avatar). If they have something we want, we'll try to take it, and vice versa. It's all about possession, not ownership. they aren't the same thing.

2. Trade. This could be a peace motivator. Anything we have or they have will be considered exotic and have a premium value. We'll rip each other off, making fortunes in the process, until time and saturation establish a value approaching cost. Ammunition costs more when it is scarce.

3. We gotta get off this rock and out of this solar system sooner or later. Our survival depends upon it. If they have a livable planet that has more years left than Earth, we must go there--permanently, with or without their help. Whose planet is most pressed for time will be a serious motivator here.

 

[stonehart]

I think there are at least three motivators here and what we or they would do depends on these issues.

1. Resources (ala Avatar). If they have something we want, we'll try to take it, and vice versa. It's all about possession, not ownership. they aren't the same thing.

2. Trade. This could be a peace motivator. Anything we have or they have will be considered exotic and have a premium value. We'll rip each other off, making fortunes in the process, until time and saturation establish a value approaching cost. Ammunition costs more when it is scarce.

3. We gotta get off this rock and out of this solar system sooner or later. Our survival depends upon it. If they have a livable planet that has more years left than Earth, we must go there--permanently, with or without their help. Whose planet is most pressed for time will be a serious motivator here.

Schuyler I think you have the right of it and hit the nail right on the head

---------- Post added at 04:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:29 PM ----------

People always bring up the idea that less sophisticated civilizations will be consumed by the more advanced one. And while I'm sure if somebody landed in plain sight tomorrow it would have a serious impact on us, I don't think it necessarily has to happen the way it has in the past. Yes there a lot of terrible small minded people on this planet, but I'd like to think that at least some of us have learned from the mistakes of the past. Aside from missionaries and anthropologists, who has interest in exploiting primitive people still left in isolated places they way we once would have? We don't go out to enslave them or wipe them out. It certainly pays to be cautious, but the optimistic part in me likes to think that we and others will outgrow those more primitive urges.

Some of us may have learned from our mistakes but I have little or no faith in the powers that be and I have no faith at all in them when it comes to money and power and we would be fools to trust.
I have noticed that most governments feel very little guilt in removing anyone from where they live if there is a need to get to what ever is on the land those people are on. It is a no brainer really

 

[Trajanus]

If there were a nearby ET civilization that discovered our existence, our basic attitude, and the current level of our technology, the most rational thing they could do would be to hurl a couple of asteroids our way. Their own existence as a species might very well be in question and they could not afford to make any other decision.

Oh they'd be concerned but the approach may be more subtle. The asteroid attack would wreck the ecosphere as well as us. While getting rid of us would be a good idea from their perspective they'd probably want to inherit our world, considering how scarce naturally habitable planets are.

 

[Red]

People always bring up the idea that less sophisticated civilizations will be consumed by the more advanced one. And while I'm sure if somebody landed in plain sight tomorrow it would have a serious impact on us, I don't think it necessarily has to happen the way it has in the past. Yes there a lot of terrible small minded people on this planet, but I'd like to think that at least some of us have learned from the mistakes of the past. Aside from missionaries and anthropologists, who has interest in exploiting primitive people still left in isolated places they way we once would have? We don't go out to enslave them or wipe them out. It certainly pays to be cautious, but the optimistic part in me likes to think that we and others will outgrow those more primitive urges.

In another thread on evolution, the point was made that a lot of technological advancements were made during periods of war. Even the Cold War was the impetus on which the American space program was based in order to try to beat the Russians to the moon. I don't think it would be much of a stretch to imagine that aggressive, violent species are more likely to develop space travel in order to exploit the greater resources around them.

 

[Ezechiel]

Given the wild possibilities of intelligent life throughout the universe.... What are the chances that one specie is at the same technological advancement stage and flashes out its presence with electromagnetic transmissions while we are trying to detect them LOLOL. (Duh, I've built a fire ! ... let's see if someone else has built it somewhere else lol)

On a scale from 4 billion to 14 billion ? ..... IMHO, a big zero !!!

Our own signature is slowly being erased as radio towers are brought down and replaced by cabled transmission giving a tiny window of maybe 75 years (Hitler's 1936 olympic transmission to 2015).... the transmissions themselves fiz out as they travel through interstellar dust clouds, stellar radiation and all kinds of interference.

Chances are they'll find us first looking for something they need. They may have built their own artificial planet with their own artificial energy source 'a la death star'.

A natural self-sufficient planet supporting a quasi-infinite number of life-forms is the most amazing thing and probably close to impossible to replicate artificially (Given the time it takes to build). Finding a replacement home world, terraforming... etc. would be a valid motivator for an alien specie (too bad for destructive natives like us )

 

[Hoffmeister]

I personally am not vary afraid of ET being hostile. Firslty, why on earth would ET, who can travel freely around space have any interest in our little world.
-I dont believe for a minute that they would attack resources.... the universe has a lot of real estate and i'm pretty damn sure there's nothing we have here that not to be found floating round space on any other number of rocks.
-They wouldnt attack us through feeling theatened either as we are clearly of no threat to anyone on any othe planet.
-I think this point might be controversial, but generally I think that the more advanced a civilization gets (on earth at least), the less prone to violence it is. Now I may hear you all crying from the rooftops "look at iraq" etc, but when you compare it to the violence of previous era's (100 year wars etc) where nations were almost contantly at war with other major nations I think my point is valid.

Of course they might have some other motive I havent thought of but for some reason I just have a gut feeling that we're not gonna see an attack when we ever meet ET, be it in 1 year or 10000 years (probably like 100-200 in my estimation but just a guess).
I expect they will look at us as just random creatures that are not much different to the civilizations on any of the other planets that are out there

 

[Schuyler]

Good points. I think we suffer from a lack of information. If the Universe is indeed "teeming with life," resources, water, etc. where nearly every star has at least one planet supporting life, then that's one thing. If the Universe is such that a planet like ours is quite rare, the value goes up, and so does the competition. Of course, we have theorists who claim both extremes, but we still don't really know.

 

[pininmefin]

I would think that IF they have been coming here for years or just after we lit the "cosmic match" they would have made known their presence clearly.After all most if not all governments suck to deal with. I should think if their intentions were admirable they would have taken their case to the people by now. Or we are just that insane to their sensibilities that they have just ignored us and go about their agenda....

 

[Trajanus]

I personally am not vary afraid of ET being hostile. Firslty, why on earth would ET, who can travel freely around space have any interest in our little world.
-I dont believe for a minute that they would attack resources.... the universe has a lot of real estate and i'm pretty damn sure there's nothing we have here that not to be found floating round space on any other number of rocks.

But, as our own growing knowledge of extrasolar planets shows, habitable planets appear very rare.

-They wouldnt attack us through feeling theatened either as we are clearly of no threat to anyone on any othe planet.

The future might be different. We're obviously progressing.

-I think this point might be controversial, but generally I think that the more advanced a civilization gets (on earth at least), the less prone to violence it is. Now I may hear you all crying from the rooftops "look at iraq" etc, but when you compare it to the violence of previous era's (100 year wars etc) where nations were almost contantly at war with other major nations I think my point is valid.

Well I don't know..... Peace has long been a goal of statesmen. Look at the Pax Romana. The second century was more peaceful than the 20th.