Most Americans believe intelligent life exists beyond Earth, but isn't a national security...

[wiyosaya]

You want to tell me what in this century has convinced you otherwise?

Why not extend the time period for consideration back the last millenium or the last few millenniums? For instance, DaVinci knew of heart disease some 500-years ago, but guess what? The Catholic Church poo-pooed it just like much of his other investigations of the body.

That's not my point at all, though. For civilization on Earth to pretend that our civilization has developed in the same way that any extraterrestrial civilization has developed is naive. Humanity, people, in general, tends to project their worst traits on anyone and anything, e.g., your neighbor, the people on the other side of the tracks, as yet unknown extraterrestrial civilizations, and on, and on.

Much of humanity seems to think it knows everything as if humanity, itself, is some sort of god-like civilization. While that may be the case on Earth with the fact that there are enough nuclear weapons on this planet to ensure nuclear winter if they were used, with the vast size of the universe and the increasingly vast number of extra-solar planets thought to be capable of hosting life as humanity knows it, it is statistically unlikely that every advanced civilization would develop in exactly the same way. As I see it, its humanity's over-inflated ego that leads humanity to think that all other advanced civilizations in the universe would progress in exactly the same way as civilization has here on Earth.

Just imagine if the Catholic Church had not poo-pooed DaVinci's exploration of the human body. How much more advanced would medical science be now if the Catholic Church had not done that?? I certainly cannot, and do not think anyone can say; however, I think it is well within reason to speculate that it would be far farther along than it is now.

These are speculative examples of two paths in only our civilization that likely would have lead to vastly different outcomes had the other been the course - just as likely as other advanced civilizations progressing along vastly different paths than ours.

 

[wiyosaya]

It is humbling when you think about it. All the human hubris and chest pounding can be fixed with the equivalent flush of a toilet by nature.

Or the push of a button by some Jack A$$ leader...

 

[wiyosaya]

Since the '50s, more like since since the beginning of creation.
Humanity has had chance after chance, if there is another race of beings, alien or otherwise, I don't see them letting this planet getting destroyed because of humans.
Mankind is a virus and is a problem for this planet. At some point, nature, God or aliens will balance the planet. It'll likely start all over or simply just more on to whatever is next. Life is what matters, all life not just human. Life will continue on this planet, just might be without humans.

It's a great thought to think that there is a "savior" civilization out there. With that, as I see it, comes a responsibility to be this planet's guardian, and that goes back to the over-arching leader paradigm. How then would a civilization like ours learn that there are certain things that a civilization should not do to its own nest in order to ensure survival?

Personally, I think it is more likely for them to just let us destroy ourselves. After all, it is highly likely, given the vast number of stars and the likely vast number of planets out there that are thought to be able to host life like that here on Earth, Earth is "only" one planet among millions in the universe.

 

[wiyosaya]

Well, if you believe this horsesh!t, you'll pretty will believe anything

[1:26] Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth."
[1:27] So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

OTOH, you'd all better hope that whoever visits here from another planet doesn't have the same mindset. Otherwise, we're liable to wind up on their dinner plates.

Ever see that original Twilight Zone Episode - To Serve Man - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0734684/ ?? I won't spoil it for you, but your post hit that nail on the head.

 

[terzaerian]

Why not extend the time period for consideration back the last millenium or the last few millenniums? For instance, DaVinci knew of heart disease some 500-years ago, but guess what? The Catholic Church poo-pooed it just like much of his other investigations of the body.

That's not my point at all, though. For civilization on Earth to pretend that our civilization has developed in the same way that any extraterrestrial civilization has developed is naive. Humanity, people, in general, tends to project their worst traits on anyone and anything, e.g., your neighbor, the people on the other side of the tracks, as yet unknown extraterrestrial civilizations, and on, and on.

Much of humanity seems to think it knows everything as if humanity, itself, is some sort of god-like civilization. While that may be the case on Earth with the fact that there are enough nuclear weapons on this planet to ensure nuclear winter if they were used, with the vast size of the universe and the increasingly vast number of extra-solar planets thought to be capable of hosting life as humanity knows it, it is statistically unlikely that every advanced civilization would develop in exactly the same way. As I see it, its humanity's over-inflated ego that leads humanity to think that all other advanced civilizations in the universe would progress in exactly the same way as civilization has here on Earth.

Just imagine if the Catholic Church had not poo-pooed DaVinci's exploration of the human body. How much more advanced would medical science be now if the Catholic Church had not done that?? I certainly cannot, and do not think anyone can say; however, I think it is well within reason to speculate that it would be far farther along than it is now.

These are speculative examples of two paths in only our civilization that likely would have lead to vastly different outcomes had the other been the course - just as likely as other advanced civilizations progressing along vastly different paths than ours.

That's a whole lot of words to say "sorry I got nothing".

But if you want to expand the scope, the most sensible place to start might be the point at which humans started blasting high-power communication into space... and the first such communication to leave our solar system was probably TV broadcasts from Nazi Germany. Oops, so much for first impressions! We followed that up with decades of the Cold War.

Face it: where intelligent life is concerned, Earth is the weird kid that sits by himself at lunch, mumbling to himself.

 

[texasrattler]

It's a great thought to think that there is a "savior" civilization out there. With that, as I see it, comes a responsibility to be this planet's guardian, and that goes back to the over-arching leader paradigm. How then would a civilization like ours learn that there are certain things that a civilization should not do to its own nest in order to ensure survival.

Personally, I think it is more likely for them to just let us destroy ourselves. After all, it is highly likely, given the vast number of stars and the likely vast number of planets out there that are thought to be able to host life like that here on Earth, Earth is "only" one planet among millions in the universe.

Who said they are here to save us? They would be here for the planet. Maybe they are closer than we think or in our peticular galaxy is one of few habital planets.

 

[wiyosaya]

Who said they are here to save us? They would be here for the planet. Maybe they are closer than we think or in our peticular galaxy is one of few habital planets.

But why? So they would have a place to live? And who says that by the time that they intervened, this planet would be habitable for them? It's all speculation. No human can possibly speak for the reasons that they may or may not choose to intervene.

 

[wiyosaya]

That's a whole lot of words to say "sorry I got nothing".

But if you want to expand the scope, the most sensible place to start might be the point at which humans started blasting high-power communication into space... and the first such communication to leave our solar system was probably TV broadcasts from Nazi Germany. Oops, so much for first impressions! We followed that up with decades of the Cold War.

Face it: where intelligent life is concerned, Earth is the weird kid that sits by himself at lunch, mumbling to himself.

I am sorry you do not seem to be grasping what I said, and I think you are missing my point. So, let me put it in plain English. Unless you are a member of an extraterrestrial civilization, you are unable to postulate any truth with respect to what they might think or how they might view us.

Some people think that visitations from God in the bible represent stories of extraterrestrial encounters with ancient earthlings.

If that is the case, for them, I think something that would apply would be Arthur C. Clark's quote "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic" or as reinterpreted by Christopher Pike in the Star Trek: Discovery episode "New Eden"

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from. magic.
Captain Pike from Discovery says:
The law was debated by scientists and theologians alike and later reinterpreted to say any sufficiently advanced extraterrestrial intelligence is indistinguishable from God.

Honestly, I do not see how mankind developing high-power communication would make any difference. With the reported capabilities of the craft in some of these sightings, Earth's technology, compared to their technology, IMO, is in its infancy.

 

[texasrattler]

But why? So they would have a place to live? And who says that by the time that they intervened, this planet would be habitable for them? It's all speculation. No human can possibly speak for the reasons that they may or may not choose to intervene.

Anyone can speak on possibilities. All any of this is about is possibilities.
There reason to be here, well could be. Water, oxygen, natural resources or maybe they just like it n want it for themselves.

 

[wiyosaya]

Anyone can speak on possibilities. All any of this is about is possibilities.
There reason to be here, well could be. Water, oxygen, natural resources or maybe they just like it n want it for themselves.

If that were the case, that is, them wanting Earth's resources for themselves, I think they would have made their presence known already and they would likely subjugate humanity as a result. After all, why wait until humanity has so sufficiently destroyed those natural resources as to make them useless? There's plenty such resources in space - even if they are not part of the biosphere of a planet.

 

[Gezzer]

One thing I always consider about any of these "polls" is who are the respondents? Which groups have a higher tendency to sit around and answer questions about UFO's and/or intelligent extrasolar life or any other questions for that matter? IMHO the people with heavy biases one way or the other will be your most willing respondents, and in the case of this particular "poll" I'd suggest it would skew towards believers over non believers. Most "regular" people wouldn't waste their time answering. I know I wouldn't.

As for the question of UFO's, extra solar life and it's chances of being of an intelligence at least equal to our own... we just don't know. You can believe what ever you want for what ever reason, but there's been almost nothing scientifically proven either way. There are so many unknown factors involved it boggles the mind. We could be looking at a rare earth scenario, or simple single celled life is common but not more complex life, or even intelligent life is everywhere, they've just been prewarned about earth *******s is all. Choose any one, or all of them. Your chances of being right are about the same.

 

[texasrattler]

If that were the case, that is, them wanting Earth's resources for themselves, I think they would have made their presence known already and they would likely subjugate humanity as a result. After all, why wait until humanity has so sufficiently destroyed those natural resources as to make them useless? There's plenty such resources in space - even if they are not part of the

Maybe this is just what they do. Observe, gather intel.

Who knows why they want the planet. For all we know this could be the very first habital planet, that would make it special.
Maybe they are from here n think we are the aliens. Maybe this was once home. The list of possibilities can go on and on.

 

[wiyosaya]

Maybe this is just what they do. Observe, gather intel.

Who knows why they want the planet. For all we know this could be the very first habital planet, that would make it special.
Maybe they are from here n think we are the aliens. Maybe this was once home. The list of possibilities can go on and on.

Yes. It's all speculation. We don't even know if they want the planet. If they are here, which I personally think is likely due to the descriptions of various craft, maybe they are here only to observe.

 

[texasrattler]

Yes. It's all speculation. We don't even know if they want the planet. If they are here, which I personally think is likely due to the descriptions of various craft, maybe they are here only to observe.

Could be, makes sense since most have not seen a craft land, at least nothing conclusive has been seen. All we have seen is vids of things in the air, nothing conclusive on the ground.
Maybe this is their tech and a type of drone that they use. But many others have said they have seen bigger craft in the air which would be like a main/mother craft.
Hopefully soon more answers will come.

 

[scavengerspc]

Could be, makes sense since most have not seen a craft land, at least nothing conclusive has been seen. All we have seen is vids of things in the air, nothing conclusive on the ground.
Maybe this is their tech and a type of drone that they use. But many others have said they have seen bigger craft in the air which would be like a main/mother craft.
Hopefully soon more answers will come.

In my opinion, we should start with giving our military cameras that can do better than 240p.