Sunday, October 5, 2008

No Conspiracy Here

There is a basic difference between this blog and much of what you will find regarding this subject on the Internet. I do not believe that extraterrestrials have been in contact with anyone on Earth thus far. I do not believe stories of Alien abduction. Regarding UFOs, there is always a chance that some extraterrestrial craft may have been spotted in the Earth atmosphere, but I think for the most part UFOs are a natural or manmade phenomenon.

There is no evidence that there is any extraterrestrial civilization in the universe. We could be quite alone. Science and logic tells us that even if there are other sentient beings in the universe, the chances of them being able to travel here to say hello are rather minute.

So why do I even bother writing all of this?

Well, first of all it’s fun. I love “what ifs” and this is one of the biggest “what ifs” of all. I take one simple premise and try to figure out what might happen. The premise is that extraterrestrials, who have never contacted anyone on Earth previously, decide that now is the time for Direct First Contact. How would they realistically do it? How would we react? What are the dangers? What would the future hold for us as a civilization?

Direct First Contact of this type is not a question of science. It is a question of communication. I have no scientific expertise. I am trained as a communicator. What you read in this blog comes from a communications perspective. I grew up in a scientific household. I understand how much scientists resent wild speculation with no basis in fact, and no respect for the scientific process. I also know that scientists often enjoy science fiction, they love the “what ifs”. This blog is basically science fiction, just without the drama and characters.

I must correct myself here. When I say that First Contact is not a question of science, I mean the action is not a question of the physical sciences. First Contact does have everything to do with the social sciences. Communication theory, politics, history and sociology all play a part. Psychology is another scientific field that has close correlation to First Contact. The physical sciences will be hugely changed by First Contact, but it is the social sciences that will come into play first. First Contact is simply a study of how the introduction between extraterrestrials and humans might occur and the profound reactions it would cause in human civilization.

I believe that First Contact should not occur between extraterrestrials and any national government on Earth. First Contact needs to be the start of a conversation between extraterrestrial beings and all humans. It needs to be a hello for the entire world. Ultimately some group will need to coordinate the continuing conversation and that needs to be the United Nations. It is a weak body that needs much improvement, but it is the only group that comes close to representing the entire planet.

Modern systems of communication can be leveraged to achieve First Contact. We have the technology and information networks in place currently. The proposal I make regarding First Contact utilizes the actions and reactions that automatically occur each and every day in the communications systems on this planet. The interconnected media is a powerful tool. If used correctly it can provide a quick and effective means of First Contact. You’ll find a link to the entire proposal on the right hand side of the screen.

I could be very wrong. Perhaps there is some vast Alien conspiracy involving secret government contact that has been hidden from us for many years. However the realities of human interaction cause me to very much doubt that such conspiracies could be maintained for a week, or a month, let alone years.

First Contact would not be easy. It must be done quickly, effectively and lead us down a positive path of new understanding. Every relationship starts with an introduction. This blog is about that big hello.

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