First Contact: What might it look like?

[Precocity]

Some people think we've already had first contact and governments are hiding it from us. Of course Hollywood has done a great job of pushing that theory.

[Hyperion]

Some people think Obama orchestrated the school shootings, too.

People give our government wayyy too much credit. If it is capable of hiding the fake moon landing, tourists from Jupiter, and Bush's involvement in 9/11, the government is the most efficient entity in existence.

[Precocity]

[Kane]

http://vocaroo.com/i/s0Q4GuSEjTCE

[J.K. Gregg]

[Dennis]

History has not demonstrated a good track record on the fate of natives who inhabit resource-rich lands. I think this was the basis of Stephan Hawkins's point that aliens would likely be hostile. The counter-point to that is that if aliens are so advanced to travel inter-steller space, that perhaps they have advanced socially too, and will be friendly. However, history has also demonstrated that advancements in technology and society do not always match, with society often lagging behind. Look at us now. We can send probes to another planet, but we still kill each other with guns, knives, blunt objects, and our even our bare hands everyday. Then again, that's from a group viewpoint and not an individual viewpoint. The same people doing the killing aren't often the same ones building and sending probes to other planets, so I think there is still hope on the "advanced" front.

I think we also need to consider that perhaps there is the possibility that WE are the technologically ancient/first race of beings who might one day encounter others who are less advanced then us. After all, who said we all popped out of the mud at the same time?

[eynon81]

[spacemonkey]

The govt probably don't acknowledge it because it can't control it.

[J.K. Gregg]

[Dennis]