I’m always surprised when people confidently say:
“I don’t believe in aliens.”
Agnosticism, I get; but how can you be so confident that something doesn’t exist? Just because they haven’t arrived yet doesn’t mean they aren’t out there... There’s a few reasons why I believe in aliens, but I won’t try and prove they exist. I will, however, attempt to convince you that how we think about aliens—real or fake—says a lot about humanity.
Dark Forest Hypothesis
As outlined in the Chinese sci-fi novel of the same name, the “Dark Forest” hypothesis posits that the universe is filled with big, scary, invisible predators. Much like a rabbit in a dark forest, extra-terrestrial civilizations wouldn’t want to reveal themselves for fear of being attacked. The same applies to us earthlings: if we’re contacted by aliens, we shouldn’t assume the they come in peace. We should shoot first and ask questions later, like true Americans. Would you risk total annihilation for the small chance of an intergalactic friendship? I wouldn’t.
I’m sure pre-globalization civilizations had similar experiences. How were they to know if foreigners came in peace? Or that the natives were friendly? Without adequate communication, there’s really no way of knowing. Thinking about how we portray our first contacts with E.T.’s says a lot about how we humans—especially Americans—react to all things alien.
Though international relations are crucial to the U.S., I bet the government doesn’t find foreign countries to be 100% transparent. The best they—and we, the taxpayers—can do is infer that everyone will do what’s in their best interests. Just like in the past, sometimes it’s a win-win. Other times, it results in violence.
Pandora’s Flying Saucer
I’m not going to pretend I remember much about James Cameron’s Avatar. What I do remember is being forced to watch it on my twelfth birthday and thus hating it on principle. I also recall the futuristic government deciding to invade the planet Pandora for its resources. Kind of like a reverse Independence Day. Movies like these are black-and-white. Obviously violently invading, looting, and destroying a civilization for your own gain is wrong. It’s better to either achieve a mutually-beneficial agreement or leave. Or consider cutting carbon emissions before you have to wage intergalactic warfare to save the human race.
Looking back on the colonial era, it’s easy to see the ways certain people were taken advantage of. Sure, there were some win-win scenarios; but when things got difficult, it was easier for the stronger groups to renege on those promises and use violence. This still happens today—on levels from interpersonal all the way to international.
Compromising your morality for even the most noble of ends sets a precedent that reinforces personal, community-level, and even societal integrity. For example, John McCain, a POW, said about torture:
“Torture’s failure to serve its intended purpose isn’t the main reason to oppose its use. I have often said, and will always maintain, that this question isn’t about our enemies; it’s about us. It’s about who we were, who we are and who we aspire to be. It’s about how we represent ourselves to the world.”
John McCain
If this seems unrelated to aliens, it’s not. When we tell stories about extraterrestrial life, we should emphasize communication, collaboration, and community. Of not using immoral means to achieve good ends. Of environmental stewardship. We could learn something about how to better live life on Earth.
This Week’s Top 3
- Jeopardy Online 📺 – if you have a bunch of nerds over, and you can’t figure out what to do, consider this website.
- “Birthday Girl” by Haruki Murakami – you can find this short story in Murakami’s anthology Birthday Stories. It amazes me how much Murakami can make you feel with such simple writing.
- Cartel Madras – Super cool hip-hop, immigrant sister duo based in Alberta. Their production is simultaneously fresh but familiar, and if you’re looking to shake up your playlists, they just might be the solution.