It is not obvious. If aliens are smart enough to get here, they are also smart to observe that contacting us will cause great chaos. We are simply to primitive. We have famine, racism, wars, and overall a lot of issues that do not warrant contact at this time.
Re:Why We'll Never Meet Aliens
by danielweber on Friday April 26, 2013 @02:50PM
(#5614706)
Unless there is one galactic hegemon, there's going to be someone who says "fuck it" and decides to come visit.
Unless there's no one.
I think the argument is that the 'fuck it' level is not necessarily contact in terms of communication with the entire world but may be filled by simply picking up a couple specimens/pets and rolling onwards...
Re:Why We'll Never Meet Aliens
by andrewflnr on Friday April 26, 2013 @04:48PM
(#5615381)
Which, interestingly, is well within some people's model of current alien contact.
But the "some form of contact" that's most likely is rudimentary communication with whatever small cross-section of people they kidnapped for study/captivity.
The rest of us would never know and just go on wondering "where is everybody".
I think it's guaranteed. Just think about if we got that technology.
If suddenly magically a ship capable of zipping around the galaxy appeared in NASA's hands, other than disassembling it and trying to replicate it, what would we use it for? Looking for other life and inhabitable planets.
No reason to think aliens wouldn't do the same. It's obvious, IMHO.