What would happen on earth if Life were discovered elsewhere?

[jokerman93]

Poll question: What would happen on earth if Life were discovered elsewhere?

Or thread on the NASA Spirit rover failure got me thinking about this. So I thought I'd try making a poll to stimulate thoughtful discussion. I never thought the response "mass hysteria" ever really meant anything substantive.

I'd like to hear the various scenarios folks have in their minds, especially if you've thought about this one a little.

[hang a left]

1. What kind of life?

On edit: I believe that Henry Kissinger talked about this in his address to the Bilderbergers in 1992

[Meph]

4. micro-organisms

cellular or viral

[jokerman93]

13. Originally I was thinking

Originally I was thinking ANY evidence whatsoever from viral/bacterial to archeological evidence of alien civilization. For some reason, I can't envision a "First Contact" type scenario, but I suppose anything is possible.

Ok, if you speculate in this thread, go ahead and discuss the scenario you have thought the most about. How's that?

Also, do you have any more info on the Kissinger speech? I'm always interested in the raciocinations of world class criminals!

[hang a left]

25. Go here Jokerman

http://www.4rie.com/

[Muddleoftheroad]

2. Lathe of Heaven

In the science fiction story Lathe of Heaven, a character can dream things and make them happen. He dreams an end to racism and all people become the same color. He dreams a way to have mankind stop fighting among themselves and we find aliens, naturally making us all suddenly work together.

Of course, I have my doubts on that part. I think there are many groups that would gladly serve as 5th columnists to advance their own causes.

[raifield]

3. As an avid Science Fiction reader...

...of some "hard" SciFi 'First Contact' novels, many of them do begin with a war between the alien race and human beings. One of them actually had the humans losing too..."Foreigner", by CJ Cherryh.

Anyway, I think a massive global defense industry would spring up around the need/perceived need for a planetary defense system. Of course, one country would try to be in charge of this defense, but I think it would symbolically go to the UN.

Of course, if the alien race in question happens to be anthromorphic, expect Furries the world over to immediately storm and occupy the nearest major space facility in an attempt to launch off-planet. :D

[wysimdnwyg]

5. The US government would cover it up

Any technological advances from this knowledge would be awarded to benefactors of GOP candidates in return for continued campaign donations.

The general public of the world is none the wiser and the rich keep on getting richer.

[hang a left]

7. I like the way you think.

That was funny.

[mermaid]

33. They Already Have Covered It Up

Does Roswell not mean anything to you?

Why would there BE an Area 51 if there wasn't something to HIDE out there?

[Occulus]

37. The actual level of the development of human technology

is far, far higher than you or I are allowed to know.

I think every single little thing seen in the skies out there is our and always has been.

[RC]

6. As long as we have a noticeable segment of

religious fundamentalist and right wingers in power, we will have wars, superstition, paranoia, racism...

[Cat Atomic]

8. As weird as it sounds, I think it'd make the Earth a very nice place.

So... "Massive emphasis on planetary defence and space war would mark the beginning of a new era of human *peace and cooperation*."

Aliens would provide the human race with the ultimate "them". They'd be so utterly unlike ourselves as to render distinctions of race and religion trivial.

Assuming we couldn't actually *reach* these "others", I think you'd see a spirit of cooperation and brotherhood on earth that we've never seen before.

If we could reach them, then... oh... what a mess.

[Terwilliger]

9. and people call me cynical

:hi:

[radwriter0555]

10. Rummy, Cheney and Wolfie would sanction them, then bomb the crap

out of them, then take over their planet JUST IN CASE there was anything of value to loot, pillage, destroy and rape.

[hang a left]

11. Not to hijack your thread or anything, and I don't want to start a

competing thread. But who here already believes that there is other life forms "out there"?

I think that there are, crop circles, ufo sightings, alien abductions. I think that there has been a full blown governmental coverup of this.

Which got me to thinking (a scary thing) about that thread someone started in GD about something "big" about to happen. Then I started thinking about the problems with the Rover this morning. And then I started thinking about *W's poll numbers and then I started thinking about congress rolling over today and then I started thinking............well you know.

Don't mind me, I don foil for every occasion.

[xchrom]

12. there'd be a cluster of small earthquakes

in california from me jumping up and down with excitment.

[ramapo]

14. Deflation of human arrogance

One can only hope

[Nobody]

15. Emigration to where the Bush Junta can't follow

:evilgrin:

[robcon]

16. I don't get the negativity here.

Who cares what the government does? This would be the flowering of great investments in science. Philosophically, this would have the same effect as Copernicus discovery/popularization of the sun as the center of the solar system. The world view would change, and an age of even more enlightment would occur.

[Cleita]

17. I did other because if we find a way to

do Star Trek type warp space travel around the galaxy, I fear that we will colonize, like we have in the past. We will eliminate or enslave the natives like we always have. I really hope we never find a way.

[Liberal_Dog]

23. Until We Run Into A More Powerful Aliens

And get squashed ourselves.

[TexasMexican]

26. Which is why we need to keep up the military spending.

ofcourse

[name not needed]

18. Robb Is a Dingbat

n/t

[WarNoMore]

19. Manifest Destiny for the New Millennium

[newyawker99]

38. Hi klutz!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[jokerman93]

20. Kick

Because I'm curious!

[Blue_Tires]

21. some fundie

would try to convert it to christianity

[jokerman93]

22. Preaching the Word to a Pietri Dish

I guess that would constitute nothing more than a change of venue for the wack Christian right.

[robcon]

24. I don't get the responses on this thread.

Almost all think of the effect on politics/religion in America. This event would have worldwide impact, and the U.S. is only 6% of the world. This would be the greatest discovery in the history of the world.

[Djinn]

28. "they" wouldn't be like "us"

so basing my guess on thousdands of years of human behaviour - we'd demonise, brutalise and exploit them

[camero]

27. All of the above

I'm sure that different parts of society would react in different ways. Whether we change our ways is entirely up to us.

Plus it depends whether the ETs were peaceful or violent.

[Serenity-NOW]

29. Is it really a question of 'if'?

Or is it when? Consider the math as Sagan did. Billions of stars just like our own sun, billions upon billions of planets. Isn't it extreme anthropocentrism to believe this is the only place with life?

Too many candidates for life out there with features similar to our own to cast out the idea that we share the universe with carbon based life. That doesn't even account for silicon based life or things we as insignificant blips in geologic time have yet to imagine.

So here's a theory to answer the original question. First accept that humans are pretty unique on this planet. Much like primates but definitely distinct. Consider how many types of primates exist and try to fathom how come we don't seem to share similar variation. Then remember that Adam and Eve's child supposedly married 'somebody' according to bibilical gibberish. Or the Jewish chic Lilith who evidently coexisted with Adam and eve. Got it?

Ok then, here goes some serious wildness- please bear with me:

The Universe is alive with advanced lifeforms far beyond our technological appreciation and they've been here, in the universe, for much, much longer than us. They, like us, are mildly nomadic. So they careen around the universe doing whatever it is they do and from time to time they 'seed' planets with... oh let's say 'livestock'. Then at some point they come back for harvest after the 'herd' of 'livestock' populates to the degree that they make for a well stocked mini-market.

Let's call it the Johnny Appleseed theory on alien life.

[0rganism]

30. In the words of Calvin...

"I think the surest sign that there is intelligent life out there in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us."

(Calvin & Hobbes, that is)

[fujiyama]

31. Nothing would happen...

We went to the moon -- One of mankind's greatest accomplishments...We left the planet. We had pictures of our planet from another world, where earth appeared so small, you could cover it up with a finger. The world was shown its commanality.

For those of us who really appreciate scientific progress and discovery, it would be fascinating.

For the majority of humans, nothing would change. Poverty, war, terrorism, hatred and prejudice, inequality -- all that is wrong with the world -- would still exist.

Sorry, I'm extremely cynical, though I really do love space exploration...

[mermaid]

32. I Voted Something Different

And here's what would happen:

BEAM ME UP, SCOTTY!! THERE'S NO INTELLIGENT LIFE ON THIS PLANET!!

Sinerely, if an alien intelligence were ever envcountered, I'd love to leave this planet for a better place. A place where civil rights are not questioned or challenged, in fact, they aren't even thought about, because EVERYBODY has them.

A place where conservo-creeps and their ilk are NOT welcome!

Wait a minute...I'm describing UTOPIA!!!!

[jokerman93]

34. Kick

[Az]

35. The question does not establish a time frame

The instant reaction would be denial by fundimentalist groups and joy by more open minded groups. Over time as evidence built up it would begin to erode the established fundimental structures and give rise to other social structures which may or may not be so strident in forcing their belief systems.

[RandomKoolzip]

36. Unless there was oil to be discovered on another planet....

I doubt that much would change.