Should we fear aliens? Part II: First Contact — Glad Hand.

Stephen Hawking in Zero Gravity (NASA)

“We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn’t want to meet. I imagine they might exist in massive ships, having used up all the resources from their home planet.” “Such advanced aliens would perhaps become nomads, looking to conquer and colonise whatever planets they can reach. If aliens visit us, the outcome would be much as when Columbus landed in America, which didn’t turn out well for the Native Americans.” — Stephen Hawking.

Although I’ve already expatiated at length on the reasons why we should fear aliens, it turns out there’s yet another cause for alarm — our infinite fatuity and brainlessness. The other day I heard one of these stories on the news that make you wonder if it’s Orson-Wells’-recital-of–The-War-of-the-Worlds style hoax, or the powers that be are once again kidding the populace. In times of economic crisis, UN decided to splash out and assigned a Malaysian boffin to greet aliens on behalf of the entire humanity.

Mazlan Othman, a Malaysian astrophysicist, is set to be tasked with co-ordinating humanity’s response if and when extraterrestrials make contact.

Aliens who landed on earth and asked: “Take me to your leader” would be directed to Mrs Othman.
The 58-year-old is expected to tell delegates that the proposal has been prompted by the recent discovery of hundreds of planets orbiting other starts, which is thought to make the discovery of extraterrestrial life more probable than ever before.

Mind, not to the world leaders or a UN Secretary-General, but to a small time astrophysicist. Any extraterrestrial worth their salt would take it as a snub. Wouldn’t our amour-propre be hurt, if humans landed on a distant planet and were welcomed by a lab assistant?

that said, they seem to be pretty sure these numerous planets are inhabited by intelligent life and even insinuate that the visit may be in the offing. Next thing we know the so much coveted first contact will be all over the news. Either that or we’ve been long since invaded by or hanging out with aliens, and now the governments see fit to make it public.

Mrs Othman is currently head of the UN’s little known Office for Outer Space Affairs (Unoosa).

‘Jobs for the boys’ — they must have run out of less ludicrous ploys to tap into public money.

In a recent talk to fellow scientists, she said: “The continued search for extraterrestrial communication, by several entities, sustains the hope that some day human kind will receive signals from extraterrestrials."

In my previous article on the topic I already set out why this is a moronic idea.

“When we do, we should have in place a coordinated response that takes into account all the sensitivities related to the subject. The UN is a ready-made mechanism for such coordination.”

Coordinated response and sensitivities! Suddenly all the countries of the world will settle their differences and concord to place their trust in one person to represent the planet in such a sensitive matter. That’s a laugh.

The plan to make Unoosa the co-ordinating body for dealing with alien encounters will be debated by UN scientific advisory committees and should eventually reach the body’s general assembly.

Obviously the general assembly has highly important items on their agenda, I wonder if establishing official relations with ghosts and customs tariffs on the imports from Mars and Titan colonies are among them. Which personally scares the hell out of me.

Opinion is divided about how future extraterrestrial visitors should be greeted. Under the Outer Space Treaty on 1967, which Unoosa oversees, UN members agreed to protect Earth against contamination by alien species by “sterilising” them.’

First of all, it remains to be seen who would be in danger of contamination, them or us!
Sounds pretty much like the idea of racial purity defended by the KKK and their ilk.
By far the most friendly and peaceful way of striking up a long-awaited relationship with alien species — a warm welcome to “a world of nuclear giants and ethical dwarfs".

This is so insane that I’m not sure what to make of it.

Not only do we show our true colours — hostile malevolent predators with no ethical or moral restraint, who feel entitled to treat as we please whoever or whatever we get our hands on (especially those we consider inferior to us)— but we are so thick-headed as to openly announce our evil intentions so that space visitors have no ethical objection to scalping the members of the welcoming committee right on the landing site.

On one hand we are looking forward to meeting extraterrestrials as a possible source of “new business opportunities”, on the other hand we show no more regard for them than for the animals we ruthlessly experiment or feed on.

Brushing aside ethical or moral arguments, what is even more disturbing is that we take it for granted that the aliens who are bound to show up will be as primitive as Amazon jungle tribes and meekly let themselves be sterilised.
The question is, how would such primitive beings have the space technology and make it to the Earth?

Actually, an intelligent species would first send explorers or spies to get the lie of the land before paying an official visit (read about the possible outcomes of alien reconnaissance missions in my first post on the subject).
Because I would.
So they may have long since been around.

Surprisingly though, the possibility of them turning out to be superior to humans and spay and neuter us instead didn’t cross anybody’s mind.
Either this is the apotheosis of stupidity, hubris and evil — by no means the most dangerous meld — or the UN, NASA etc know for sure the Greys are feeble-minded cuties.
Do they?
I wonder how our luminaries imagine the Earthlings would be treated if they happened to finally set foot on an alien planet.
Maybe they already have and are now bringing in cheap “desexed” labour, which they will disguise as the first contact.

‘Mrs Othman is understood to support a more tolerant approach.’

How kind and humane of her.
"Tolerant" like sending them to sweat shops?

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