Apparently, I Am Really Interested In Aliens

Blog It July Day #3

Assuming there is intelligent life in the universe, how do you think we will connect with them, if and when we do (invasion, violence, surrender, peace, etc.)

I'm crossing my fingers for Ewoks. Because, really, who isn't?

The universe is a really, really big place, and I personally think that the idea of humans as the only intelligent life within it is the epitome of narcissism. I don't know - how could I? - if humans will ever interact with aliens. If we do, I doubt they will resemble in any way the popular conceptions of aliens. I'm not expecting E. T. or War of the Worlds or anything else the media has served up. They will be something we never could have imagined. Either that, or they will be far more like us than we predicted.

The hardest part of this question is location: Will we find them, or will they find us? This depends on a lot of variables, not to mention chance. The obvious guess is that if they find us, they will be more technologically advanced than Earth, while if we find them, Earth will have the upper hand in that arena. And the invading party would have more control over how the situation went, probably, because so much depends upon the very first, "we come in peace" vs. "target and destroy," moments. So my hope is that we find them, and that we do it in a spirit of exploration and friendship, rather than in fear or desperation for resources. I hope that humans are able to see themselves as the potential invaders, and to remember that humans are every bit aliens on another planet. I. E., on Mars, we're the aliens and Martians are the people. It's a simple bit of logic, but if people arrive in desperate search for water, or oil, or land... I can imagine a less sympathetic point of view.

This kind of scenario is exactly why people need to study history. Because, really, how different would human arrival in an alien civilization be from the "discovery" of the Americas by the eastern hemisphere? I do not want a repeat of the events (read: atrocities) that took place during that era.

Another thought... In movies, the aliens are always united in their attitude toward Earth. That doesn't seem very likely. I mean, would the USA, Cuba and Kenya all have the same intentions and policies in that situation? Probably not. So I think the situation would be waaaaay more complex than the Hollywood equations allow.

Wow! It turns out I still have more to say about this. I never knew I was so interested in aliens. But I am going to cut myself off, because I'm afraid I'll keep going forever if I don't.

P. S. This article