Comment on Well...that was anticlimactic
demlet@lemmy.world 10 months ago
I mean, setting aside the lack of actual evidence so far, what effect will it have on most of us? Is the world suddenly going to become a utopia because aliens have been here? At best we get some cool technology that governments and the rich will hoard; at worst we get conscripted to go kill them and take their shit, or are forced to defend ourselves from them trying to take our shit. I’ve never really understood why aliens imply anything other than that. The truth is, if they do have something truly transcendent to teach us, we ain’t ready for it. If we want to find the secrets of the universe we need to put our own house in order and do it ourselves. Aliens aren’t our space saviors.
The fact that they haven’t made contact with the entire globe in a way that is undisputable etc is proof that they are mostly apathetic.
This is why they mostly stick to military bases with nukes. Even their offensive technology is apathetic. Disrupting our electronics etc. They clearly don’t care.
With that said should we really call them aliens? Chances are they have been here longer than the entire history of the hominid line.
Or maybe proof that, you know, they aren’t here and never were…
I keep hoping they’ll imprison us and keep me as their pet. I’d prefer that life.
You can have that life now 👀
Now kiss.
Religions would have to wreckon with a lot of their foundations…
“have to” is a bit strong. Religions ignore inconvenient truths about the world all the time. If aliens were confirmed to exist it wouldn’t be different. >
Would they though? I feel like the biggest ones would accommodate this revelation. “Yes, extraterrestrials exist but WE are God’s chosen species” Same reason a lot of animals don’t get into heaven lol
IIRC Mormons already believe God created multiple inhabited planets.
peanut_boy@lemmy.world 10 months ago
Why does everything need to have personal gain to matter at all. I get the whole “no actual evidence” part. But if we actually see aliens and you’re not impressed, I don’t think we can be friends. Don’t blame capitalism, you’re just lame. Sure, there are real problems, but people throughout history have had it far worse and still managed to care about things outside of their own tiny microcosm. Many people enjoy these things not in spite of but because of their personal struggles, as they can act as an escape for a short time. If you’re going to have economic troubles anyway, why spend all your time dwelling in it?
BeMoreCareful@lemmy.world 10 months ago
I don’t think that person is talking about their personal thoughts, but more mankind as a whole.
As we operate now we would not have to tools to add anything meaningful to a galactic conversation.
We could all personally think it’s awesome, but as a people we are simply unequipped to deal with the consequences of meeting an extraterrestrial race.
People are sort of great individually, but collectively we’re horrific. We’d be trying to kill, enslave, or exploit any new species we came across. It’s what we do with new species. Hell it’s what we do to each other.
demlet@lemmy.world 10 months ago
True, it would be amazing. I’m just ambivalent about the long-term impact. Like, would much really change ultimately? I guess we’ve never experienced another species we could directly communicate ideas with. Maybe it would be more revolutionary than I can imagine.