Comments on: When and if we https://habitablezone.com/2013/08/22/when-and-if-we/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:18:10 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: SDAI-Tech https://habitablezone.com/2013/08/22/when-and-if-we/#comment-28376 SDAI-Tech Thu, 07 Nov 2013 11:55:34 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=36951#comment-28376 "Illegal immigration" from other sentient worlds. Just because people may look human and be born here, doesn't mean they really "are" human. They would be able to try to introduce new ideas. Who knows - maybe sci-fi was invented by folks who weren't even really human. And it's quite possible they didn't even know they weren't human, which is the most effective way to bring change. Someone who knew it would hold back, but someone who actually thinks they are human wouldn't and wouldn't hesitate to write AMAZING stories or PLANET stories. “Illegal immigration” from other sentient worlds.

Just because people may look human and be born here, doesn’t mean they really “are” human.

They would be able to try to introduce new ideas. Who knows – maybe sci-fi was invented by folks who weren’t even really human. And it’s quite possible they didn’t even know they weren’t human, which is the most effective way to bring change. Someone who knew it would hold back, but someone who actually thinks they are human wouldn’t and wouldn’t hesitate to write AMAZING stories or PLANET stories.

]]> By: DanS https://habitablezone.com/2013/08/22/when-and-if-we/#comment-27556 DanS Thu, 10 Oct 2013 02:06:20 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=36951#comment-27556 We would be contacted, sort of invited to join with them, like a United Planets. We would be contacted, sort of indicted for crimes of which we might have no knowledge or understanding. We might bump into each other, in our clumsy first meandering into the vast sea of space. We might eventually discover that we are the only intelligence in the Universe to have developed a space program. We might be attacked. We might be snubbed. We might find new friends. We might find new enemies. I'm pretty sure we will not find them to be at all humanoid. We would be contacted, sort of invited to join with them, like a United Planets.

We would be contacted, sort of indicted for crimes of which we might have no knowledge or understanding.

We might bump into each other, in our clumsy first meandering into the vast sea of space.

We might eventually discover that we are the only intelligence in the Universe to have developed a space program.

We might be attacked.

We might be snubbed.

We might find new friends.

We might find new enemies.

I’m pretty sure we will not find them to be at all humanoid.

]]> By: DanS https://habitablezone.com/2013/08/22/when-and-if-we/#comment-27314 DanS Mon, 30 Sep 2013 17:08:54 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=36951#comment-27314 . . . or like Hogan's Suburban Commando? X^D (n/t) . . . or like Hogan’s Suburban Commando? X^D (n/t)

]]> By: Jody https://habitablezone.com/2013/08/22/when-and-if-we/#comment-27286 Jody Mon, 30 Sep 2013 02:27:16 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=36951#comment-27286 :) :)

]]> By: DanS https://habitablezone.com/2013/08/22/when-and-if-we/#comment-27283 DanS Mon, 30 Sep 2013 00:19:40 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=36951#comment-27283 Advanced technology should never be considered evidence of advanced moral of even mental prowess. We Native Americans caught on to our more advanced technologies when we invaded from Europe. That sounds a bit confusing, I know. Here's a bit on my heritage, all in one line: My ancestors came across on the Mayflower, where they promptly met the in-laws. ;^D Advanced technology should never be considered evidence of advanced moral of even mental prowess. We Native Americans caught on to our more advanced technologies when we invaded from Europe.

That sounds a bit confusing, I know. Here’s a bit on my heritage, all in one line:

My ancestors came across on the Mayflower, where they promptly met the in-laws.

;^D

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2013/08/22/when-and-if-we/#comment-26314 ER Fri, 23 Aug 2013 17:15:07 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=36951#comment-26314 Even if they were way technologically advanced over us, sentient species and civilizations must be so rare they would certainly be interested in us, if for no other reason than they are curious and predatory like we are. After all, we would have an alternative view of reality, and that is a useful thing to know, just in case they might have overlooked something we didn't. We used to divide the world into Christians and savages, but by now we have realized that we could learn a lot by chatting with the Greeks, Romans, or even the Olmecs. They were just as smart then as we are now. The things we can learn from other cultures are not limited to science and engineering. As far as resources are concerned, any species capable of interstellar travel and communications doesn't need to plunder their neighbors. They can synthesize anything they need from rocks, water and sunshine. Even if they were way technologically advanced over us, sentient species and civilizations must be so rare they would certainly be interested in us, if for no other reason than they are curious and predatory like we are. After all, we would have an alternative view of reality, and that is a useful thing to know, just in case they might have overlooked something we didn’t.

We used to divide the world into Christians and savages, but by now we have realized that we could learn a lot by chatting with the Greeks, Romans, or even the Olmecs. They were just as smart then as we are now. The things we can learn from other cultures are not limited to science and engineering.

As far as resources are concerned, any species capable of interstellar travel and communications doesn’t need to plunder their neighbors. They can synthesize anything they need from rocks, water and sunshine.

]]> By: podrock https://habitablezone.com/2013/08/22/when-and-if-we/#comment-26310 podrock Fri, 23 Aug 2013 04:28:19 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=36951#comment-26310 ...got to load up on dihydrogen oxide and some thorium, a bit of rare-earth elements as well, got a europium depletion going on, couldn't hurt swinging by and taking a chunk outta that class "M" just over there. "Uh, Cap't, looks like there are sentients there, one primary terestrial and some aquatics." "Level?" "Aquatics are pretty mellow, mainly into eating and sex. Same with the terrestrials, only their shit is piling up, learned how to leave the nest, only didn't..." "Meh. Fill 'er up." …got to load up on dihydrogen oxide and some thorium, a bit of rare-earth elements as well, got a europium depletion going on, couldn’t hurt swinging by and taking a chunk outta that class “M” just over there.

“Uh, Cap’t, looks like there are sentients there, one primary terestrial and some aquatics.”

“Level?”

“Aquatics are pretty mellow, mainly into eating and sex. Same with the terrestrials, only their shit is piling up, learned how to leave the nest, only didn’t…”

“Meh. Fill ‘er up.”

]]> By: TB https://habitablezone.com/2013/08/22/when-and-if-we/#comment-26309 TB Fri, 23 Aug 2013 04:08:49 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=36951#comment-26309 <p>Maybe.</p> But the idea that alien races have to be distant godlike beings is no less of a stereotype than big eyes and gray skin. ER is right, though. We're much more likely to discover them from accidental signals than anything else. Maybe.

But the idea that alien races have to be distant godlike beings is no less of a stereotype than big eyes and gray skin.

ER is right, though. We’re much more likely to discover them from accidental signals than anything else.

]]> By: podrock https://habitablezone.com/2013/08/22/when-and-if-we/#comment-26308 podrock Fri, 23 Aug 2013 04:02:42 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=36951#comment-26308 All interested in their culture, feelings, etc... All interested in their culture, feelings, etc…

]]> By: TB https://habitablezone.com/2013/08/22/when-and-if-we/#comment-26306 TB Fri, 23 Aug 2013 03:48:08 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=36951#comment-26306 <p>Why not?</p> If we discovered aliens, we sure as heck would give a shit. Why not?

If we discovered aliens, we sure as heck would give a shit.

]]>