Is humanity really ready for alien contact ?

[scowl]

I doubt it too. We would have experienced it by now. Unless of course subtle things are already happening ? Remember the movie 'They Live'?

I have to point out that "They Live" was also a fictional movie.

[Junior Chubb]

I have to point out that "They Live" was also a fictional movie.

What about Independence Day?

[Hvashi]

As far as being ready for an arrival from extraterrestrials, I doubt that humanity is ready for something that dramatic. It would probably cause worldwide panic, unfortunately. However, I do think that most people accept the idea of life on other worlds (as long as the ETs stay on their own turf LOL, people can handle it).

[paperdyer]

I have to point out that "They Live" was also a fictional movie.

All movies are fictional regardless of how much facts are sued. The dialog is always fictional except for maybe a few bits here and there.

[paperdyer]

Maybe "Scowl" is an E.T. or knows something we don't.

[badeskov]

Most people are always afraid of the unknown. I know I'd be wary if an E.T.showed up and didn't look like somethuing I could trust. That leaves out most insects, lizards, snakes, sharks... you get the idea.

That would be looking like the dude down at my bank, something I couldn't trust...

Cheers,

Badeskov

[psyche101]

I think there already is evidence that they have at least shown themselves to us, shown their machines to us.

I doubt we will ever see something like "Mars Attacks", but who knows?

You know what thought did? Thought his feet were hanging out the bed, so he got up to have a look.

[psyche101]

Most people are always afraid of the unknown. I know I'd be wary if an E.T.showed up and didn't look like somethuing I could trust. That leaves out most insects, lizards, snakes, sharks... you get the idea.

[DONTEATUS]

As Long as they Like B.B.Q. I`ll Be Safe Likr Flint ! E.T. will be millions of years ahead of us to get here from whince they come ! So I bet the real answer will be . We wont even know what hit us !

[Frank Merton]

I dare say if aliens are at all humanoid and hung around awhile, there would be people who would develop a fetish.

[psyche101]

I dare say if aliens are at all humanoid and hung around awhile, there would be people who would develop a fetish.

Ohh, heck yeah, much more benign than half of them that already exist for sure.

I would date a Mars Mum, no worries at all. I'd be intensely curious to be honest........

[Frank Merton]

Kinda like girls who went with me when I was in the states in college who wanted to see what an Asian was like (there weren't as many Asians in the States back then, at least in the part where I was, as now).

[S2F]

Ohh, heck yeah, much more benign than half of them that already exist for sure.

I would date a Mars Mum, no worries at all. I'd be intensely curious to be honest........

I don't know, seems like a little jaunt into the uncanny valley to me.

The uncanny valley is a hypothesis in the field of human aesthetics which holds that when human features look and move almost, but not exactly, like natural human beings, it causes a response of revulsion among some human observers. Examples can be found in the fields of robotics,[1] 3D computer animation,[2][3] and in medical fields such as burn reconstruction, infectious diseases, neurological conditions, and plastic surgery.[4] The "valley" refers to the dip in a graph of the comfort level of humans as subjects move toward a healthy, natural human likeness described in a function of a subject's aesthetic acceptability

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley

[Frank Merton]

I would say she looks cute and friendly but no turn-on.

Why do gorillas and orangs look so wise while chimps just look stupid? At least to me?

[Myles]

I think it is humorous how quickly this went from contact to visitation.

also the doubt that the human race could handle it is funny. Of course we would accept it. No mass hysteria. i think we would be fine. Religious groups would alter their beliefs.

[psyche101]

Kinda like girls who went with me when I was in the states in college who wanted to see what an Asian was like (there weren't as many Asians in the States back then, at least in the part where I was, as now).

You lucky dog!!!!!!!

Does that work both ways by any chance???

[S2F]

There is no one size fits all answer to the question. The responses to alien contact/presence would be as varied as humanity is, though I think overall we are as ready as we'll ever be. It would be like a hitting a speed bump, not driving through a brick wall.

[psyche101]

I don't know, seems like a little jaunt into the uncanny valley to me.

http://en.wikipedia..../Uncanny_valley

Possible - haven't seen her naked yet.

She does look like she would fill a pair of Jodhpurs though, still not sure if that is a god thing or bad. If I find out, I will let you know.

But if I do, we agree to keep it from Zoser OK.

[psyche101]

I would say she looks cute and friendly but no turn-on.

Turn on? Good God you're picky...........

Why do gorillas and orangs look so wise while chimps just look stupid? At least to me?

LOL - that kills me, I am going to be paying special attention from now on!!!

[Frank Merton]

You lucky dog!!!!!!!

Does that work both ways by any chance???

To some extent, but Westerners in the form of Europeans and Australians on their long vacations (we don't get as many Americans as their free time is more limited) are quite common so there is little novelty.

What you do run into a lot are Vietnamese wanting to marry Americans and move there, to the extent that the American visa authorities are very suspicious. My advice here to Americans is to be super-careful about such things, especially if she is young and you aren't.

As Africans and African-Americans appear more and more in the media, there has developed curiosity about them, which use to be stopped by prejudices.

[Frank Merton]

There is no one size fits all answer to the question. The responses to alien contact/presence would be as varied as humanity is, though I think overall we are as ready as we'll ever be. It would be like a hitting a speed bump, not driving through a brick wall.

I use to entertain the theory that the scifi stuff was designed to prepare us. However, the "preparation" has now been going on so long it has long since achieved it purpose, so I discarded the theory some time ago.

[psyche101]

There is no one size fits all answer to the question. The responses to alien contact/presence would be as varied as humanity is, though I think overall we are as ready as we'll ever be. It would be like a hitting a speed bump, not driving through a brick wall.

I agree with you and Myles (Gidday Myles!!) but I still think there are some individuals that may not be ready, or are too embarrassing to present as representatives of the species. But as I said earlier, the people who ET would contact, are not going to be the ones that answered in the study. The people who would be nominated by us or them, would be.

We hear so many stories of aliens visiting regular people that one automatically perceives first contact could be anyone at all, but I cannot see an advanced species working like that, to be advanced, you need to be organised. I think it's more an extension of the people who fear the ebil gubbermint. They are so special, that in all the world, the aliens would stop for them alone, and came all this way to see them.

[S2F]

I use to entertain the theory that the scifi stuff was designed to prepare us. However, the "preparation" has now been going on so long it has long since achieved it purpose, so I discarded the theory some time ago.

Do you mean some sort of informal indoctrination prepared and executed in secret by the powers that be? I'm assuming that isn't what you mean because I've never taken you as a conspiracy theorist. Though I think we have all heard just such a CT floating around that keeps being regurgitated from time to time.

I think it could be a form of societal consciousness that perpetuates these sci-fi stories involving aliens that indicate a readiness or even a willingness for contact. Whether or not that 'instinct' (for lack of a better word) is naive or not is anyone's guess.

[Frank Merton]

Quite so: first contact, if it happens on Earth, won't be them just dropping in for a visit. They will orbit, make their presence known, and ask to be allowed to visit or invite representatives to visit them.

[silentsinger]

Any race that can visit us would be superior as we can't visit them. It's still interesting with all the probes we've sent out that one hasn't shown up from somewhere else to chceck us out. Then again may they have and didn't like what tey saw.

All the probes we've sent out? I think its about 1 probe/satelite we have sent outside out solarsystem, so i dont really think its surprising, if noone has seen our probes.