Extraterrestrial Contact: Six things for Elected Officials to Consider

Alien First Contact work may start with scientific groups, but the responsibility for the response will be largely shouldered by politicians. The amount of responsibility would depend on the type of First Contact. If aliens make contact via messaging from far away, that would be a lower level of responsibility for politicians. In that scenario scientists would likely lead the effort. However, if an alien craft was to arrive on Earth, politicians in the landing area, and the surrounding nation, would have a great deal of responsibility. Here are six things for elected officials to consider in such a situation.

1. You have been thrust into one of the most important points in human history.
2. Your actions could impact humanity positively or negatively for many generations to come
3. If you don’t control this situation with carefully measured, and yet quickly carried out, actions, there could be many damaging outcomes.
4. If you don’t work with all nations and international agencies you will risk global conflict. Such a response may also hurt your nation’s relationship with the aliens.
5. You must work quickly to establish a framework for response that is based on international cooperation, transparency in actions, and public reassurance.
6. Make use of scientific experts. Start with people in the SETI community who have considered such events and responses for many years now. Reach out quickly to other important fields in the social sciences: sociology, political science, religion, and international relations, to name just a few. Consider the impact of information coming from extraterrestrials with scientists in all fields that could be effected by that information: physics, astronomy, engineering etc.

Scientists may balk at having politicians lead such a response, but elected officials represent humans, and it is inevitable that those elected officials will need to determine the process for developing a relationship with extraterrestrials.

Extraterrestrial Contact: Six Things to do in the First 48 Hours

If extraterrestrial First Contact does occur someday, there are six things that would have to be accomplished by the organization making the discovery and the primary governmental group connected to that organization.

1. Reveal everything you know. Secrets will come back to haunt you and serve to undermine public trust. Reveal what you know quickly. If you wait, you risk leaks and fearful reaction from the public.
2. Discuss the intentions of the aliens immediately. If those intentions are not clear, discuss that.
3. Provide comfort to the public with whatever assurances you can. Let them know how you are monitoring the situation. Let the public know of precautions that are being taken.
4. Involve the international community immediately. First Contact should be for all humans and all humans should feel they are represented in decision-making.
5. Develop a short-term process with the international community of nations. Outline the necessary next steps.
6. Communicate the process to the public and promise transparency. Transparency is the best defense against rumors and conspiracy theories.

Groups like the SETI Institute have protocols that cover a signal-based First Contact scenario. My suggested steps above would be most necessary in a Direct First Contact event, where extraterrestrials arrive in our solar system. However, many points apply to both scenarios. The key to keeping humans calm is continuing communication and absolute transparency.

 

 

Extraterrestrial Contact: First Contact and Nationalism

There has been a significant movement towards nationalism and protectionism across the globe. The most notable examples would be the U.S. presidential election of Donald Trump and the British vote to leave the European Union. While there is much debate about the policies associated with nationalism and protectionism, the philosophy comes down to world leaders wanting what they consider to be the best possible outcomes for their country.


First contact with aliens would at first blush appear to be a threat to nationalism and protectionism. Certainly from a military perspective it could be so- if the aliens have hostile intentions. But if an extraterrestrial civilization offers a non-threatening introduction that perspective could be very different for world leaders, especially where it concerns the United Nations. The UN has long been a flash-point when it comes to supporters of nationalism and protectionism. The UN is often viewed as a threat to national sovereignty.  But in a Direct First Contact situation, one where the aliens come to our solar system to say hello, the United Nations could be a necessary tool for world leaders.


Much of the debate would be decided by the aliens themselves. If they extend their welcome to one nation or a specific group of nations, that would have to be respected. Other nations could argue their point, but ultimately it’s up to the aliens to decide who they want to communicate with. The same is true if the aliens want to deal with all nations. Individual countries could grumble about it and even try to gain advantage behind the scenes. But if the aliens are not interested in dealing with individual nations, this would quickly prove to be a fruitless endeavor. More so, it could risk an individual nation’s relationship with aliens and the rest of the world. This could prove to be a big problem for aggressive nations who are intent on making their own deal. They may very well get left out of the international deal-making.


The countries most likely to seek control of First Contact would be the United States, Russia and China. Why? They have much at stake with large economies and a preference for asserting influence in global affairs. All three are members of the UN Security Council- likely to be the first UN body to consider alien contact. The question is how the use of their influence would be most effective – alone or in the UN Security Council? Taking a separate path could be dangerous, as it could cause the straying country to be less influential in the United Nations. It would seem prudent for world leaders to consider this- the United Nations may be their most effective way of exerting influence on the process. This is true for the Security Council nations, especially the P5 permanent serving nations of China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Other nations would also be advised to exert their influence through the United Nations. To go it alone would be foolhardy. If the aliens want to deal with individual nations they will. If they want to deal with everyone, the United Nations would be the best alternative for individual countries.


The problem is what the United Nations represents for nationalists- the threat of an extra-governmental agency running the show. There is already a fear of the United Nations turning into a world government. First Contact would likely increase that fear. However, in the specific case of alien First Contact the United Nations could be viewed as a valuable tool- a conduit of sorts for contact. The major nations exert much influence over the United Nations currently and would continue to do so in a First Contact scenario. Less powerful nations would have their only opportunity to be involved in the decision making process through the United Nations. Does this mean that the United Nations should gain more control over international affairs? That would depend on how the arrangement is put together. In a conduit scenario the UN would be a process body. And much of First Contact would be about process. Nations could decide how the UN should structure response to First Contact and the framework for a global relationship with aliens. Strong involvement from the General Assembly in the decision-making process could ensure national control. It also means a great deal of responsibility for nations to work together and make decisions with alacrity. Hesitance and in-fighting could make a General Assembly controlled First Contact strategy untenable. Nations can control how much of the process is decided by United Nations bureaucracy. There will have to be some level of action and decision-making in the United Nations. The framework for the process will be an important point for General Assembly consideration. It comes down to this: if the General Assembly can be effective in decision-making countries will retain control. If they fail, the bureaucrats in the UN will have to lead the way. That means it is critical that American, Russian and Chinese UN ambassadors work together to solidify support for actions in the General Assembly. This is the type of superpower leadership that will be necessary in the wake of First Contact. Those ambassadors can be extremely important in the process, but only if they have the complete backing of their bosses. And First Contact would not be a time to play games. If a national leader chooses to “go rogue” in public statements and push for something else behind the scenes they could find their national influence undermined. Any sign of gamesmanship would send a signal to other nations that the process cannot be trusted.


So, how should the United States, China and Russia present themselves in a First Contact situation? It depends on what the aliens want in the First Contact process. If the aliens want to deal with the entire planet it would seem best for the big three, and the rest of the UN Security Council members, to act as strong leaders within the context of the UN. It seems likely that the nations who figure this out quickly, and set forth a UN-based strategy will fare better in the post- First Contact world. It’s one situation in which going it alone could be a very, very bad idea.

Extraterrestrial Contact: Humor and Honesty

Many humans would be anxious about First Contact with an extraterrestrial civilization, if it ever happens some day. A quick review of First Contact fiction plots in popular media shows the anxiety quite clearly. Books and movies have dwelled on the negative for decades. And there is a possibility that First Contact could be a real problem for humans. However, it seems more likely that First Contact would be a mixed bag of positive and negative impacts. It also seems likely that many of the outcomes will depend on how humans respond to First Contact. Negative outcomes may be due to negative human reaction and have nothing to do with aliens. Managing those reactions will be important in the wake of First Contact.

I think it would be important to maintain the “humanity” in any First Contact event.  That can be accomplished with honest communication, transparency in action and the use of humor.

Why humor? It’s a human way of relieving tension and acknowledging fears, and could help to calm people. Serious matters would need to be handled seriously, but there should be plenty of room in the process for humor. Such techniques would, of course, depend on the nature of First Contact. If aliens are reigning down missiles on Washington and Moscow, humor wouldn’t be such a good idea. But in a more positive scenario, humor could serve to act as a reassuring anchor for people watching First Contact coverage. Humor would remind them that this is a human event and not the end of the world. Aside from relieving tension, humor can help in communication. It is a way to address concerns and counteract negative stereotypes with less confrontation than a more direct approach.

Governments don’t do a very good job utilizing humor. Some politicians have learned the value of the technique. And that’s an important point. Institutions can’t show a sense of humor about a situation, but people can. Humor, honesty and transparency will need to start with the major human players in a First Contact situation. Hopefully, with good examples from those individuals and good results, it could be a foundation for the process going forward.

The most important part of communication would be honesty. Humans have been trained by Hollywood writers to expect conspiracy in an alien First Contact scenario. The best way to be honest is to be transparent. The entire human population has a right to know exactly what is occurring at each step in the process After First Contact. Meetings should be made public, whenever possible. At the very least, closed door meetings should be summarized for the public afterwards. This would not be easy to achieve without a struggle. Governments often act behind closed doors when it comes to security decisions. There would be many security considerations in a Direct First Contact situation. Governmental leaders would need to weigh their options carefully. The benefit of having a closed door meeting, and not reporting on the outcome of that meeting, could be minimal compared to the value of keeping the public informed and calm.

Perhaps the biggest fear in the back of the collective human mind in a First Contact event would be the alien perspective. Will it overwhelm our human world? Will we somehow lose our humanity in the process of having a relationship with extraterrestrials? Humor and honesty could help to keep the process of Contact human in nature, and thus understandable, and hopefully acceptable, to the world public.

What do you think? Give your opinion in a comment here or visit the Alien First Contact Facebook page. 

Extraterrestrial Contact: Fears

Fear would be a understandable, and perhaps common, human reaction in any extraterrestrial First Contact scenario. It would be a big concern in a Direct First Contact situation. Here is a breakdown of possible human fears:

Fear of Attack- Hollywood has primed us for this fear with a million movies about marauding aliens attacking Earth. The threat of attack is a legitimate fear, but only in the context of the actual situation.

Fear of Interference- Concerns about aliens interfering in human activities, either behind the scenes or openly, are also legitimate, and need to be addressed.

Fear of Conspiracy- This worry would probably focus on some group of human beings having a secret deal with aliens that would give those humans an advantage. This could be a particular country or some subset of human society.

Fear of Change- We’re already overwhelmed by changes in our society and our technology. Information overload would be an issue.

Fear of Being Left Out- This could be a fear held by a particular group of humans or group of countries. The fear would stem from being left out of decision-making and not receiving the benefits of First Contact. This will be especially true for developing nations.

Fear of Loss of Control- This will be a concern for many humans, but especially for those who are in control of some human institution.

Fear of Religious Change- This stems from the possibility that information provided by extraterrestrials will somehow undermine particular religions, thus throwing faith into disarray.

Fear for the Future- What will humans become After First Contact? Will we become more like aliens? Will the trajectory for human development be changed? And for better or for worse?

Calming fears will be important in a First Contact situation. International and government leaders will need to speak often to address concerns and set up commissions or panels to respond to legitimate fears. Scientists and other experts will need to put developments into context for the rest of humanity and explore legitimate concerns. The news media will have to be careful about responding to rumor and misinformation. Context will also be critical for the media to truly serve the public. Humanity will learn about First Contact developments primarily from the media, so there is a tremendous responsibility there for journalists, and perhaps most importantly, those who lead newsrooms and media companies.

Everything concerning First Contact would need to be out in the open. Transparency would be essential to prevent misunderstandings and diminish fear of conspiracy. There should be open meetings for all developments in the First Contact process. Those meetings should be streamed on the web for everyone to view. Leaders will need to respond to rumors and misinformation immediately.

Every human would need to be included in the process, in some way. That means all nations need representation in decision-making. Leaders would need to listen to public opinion, and even fringe groups, to hear concerns and respond to legitimate concerns. A bunker mentality could be disastrous for leaders.

The rational middle of human society will need to be fully engaged and prepared to speak out, if necessary. Fringe groups will be quite loud. They cannot be allowed to dominate the discussion.

It may take a while for some of these fears to develop. Leaders shouldn’t assume that a calm public in the first few days and weeks After First Contact means that the calm will continue indefinitely. There will be a period where humans and human leaders are stunned and simply processing information. This will not last. Humans will need to respond quickly to put into place a framework for responding to fear.

Extraterrestrial Contact: The Danger and Importance of Fringe Groups

Observation shows that human social behavior often follows predictable patterns at the macro level. That’s why I think you can discuss possible human social reaction to alien First Contact. At the macro level we will probably react much as we do to other challenges and debates.

Fringe groups are major players in human social debates. A fringe group could be described as a smaller, organized contingent of people with beliefs that fall closer to the absolute pole than they do the middle ground. If we look at human social reaction to a big issue, such as abortion, you see two opposite poles and a continuum of opinion in between. The one pole believes that there should be absolutely no abortions under any circumstances. The other pole considers abortion to be the right of a woman to control her own body, allowable under whatever circumstances the woman decides. Most of us would probably fall in between these two extremes. Surveys show that to be the case. Clearly, it’s a complicated issue that involves much more than simply these two poles. But viewing the debate in this way allows us to see forces at work.

It seems to me that the middle ground of any human debate is often the quietest position. There seem to be less advocacy organizations representing the middle ground. Institutions and larger, more broad-based, organizations often occupy the middle.

Fringe groups, operating near the poles of the debate, are usually much smaller in actual numbers of followers. Either because of this, or due to the inherent passions of those in these positions, fringe groups tend to be quite vocal. It’s important to note that in any large debate there are likely to be many fringe groups operating at each pole. They sometimes work together, and at other times they disagree and fight with each other. This can be due to philosophical differences or simply the human problems of ego and control. A fringe group at either pole seeks to influence the debate and convince people in the middle. They do this via protests and other events designed to garner media coverage. However, some members will view these methods as unproductive and engage in civil unrest. Even smaller groups may choose violence.

This type of human reaction can be seen again and again, throughout human history. In the 1960’s war protestors held marches and rallies. Some groups thought that rallies were not enough and provoked riots. Still others resorted to bombings.

This may all sound negative at first blush. But we need to understand the importance of fringe groups. They often represent a way of thinking that is at odds with the current actions of society. An example is the abolitionist movement well before the Civil War in America. Many regarded abolitionists as radicals in the early days. As the debate became more widespread, the larger group of abolitionists spoke publicly and changed minds, leading to greater support. A smaller group helped to build the Underground Railroad. Even smaller groups participated in violent revolt. Would America have rejected slavery if not for the abolitionist fringe groups? It’s much easier to stay in stasis than to participate in change. Fringe groups provoke debate and often action. They may help us to see things in terms we could not before. It’s occurring today with the animal rights movement. The push to protect animals in the food chain is operating at a pole. Some groups believe in public education. Other groups take more radical action.

It’s important to note that fringe groups can also make existing situations much worse. That seems to be occurring in the Islamic and Christian communities. The groups at the poles of radical Islam and radical Christianity are engaging in all-out war. Extremist Islamic groups are attacking the larger human society and that provokes radical Christians to promote separatism. Those of us in the middle have to endure the violence and also struggle to keep Muslims and Christians together in a common society. Groups are struggling for power and control in the world of Muslim and Christian extremists. Even more dangerous- there is an apocalyptic/religious reward element involved on both sides. That means the parties often do not act rationally.

So, let’s bring this back to extraterrestrial First Contact.

The human reaction to intelligent alien First Contact will probably correspond to the degree of tension involved in the situation. If we are communicating with a far-off civilization, and our messages take years or decades to travel, that will be a low level of tension. The second degree of tension would be fast communication with a far-off extraterrestrial civilization. This would assume that the extraterrestrials have communication technology to do such, because we are still stuck at the speed of light for transmission and most stars are many light years away. The third level of tension would be representatives of an extraterrestrial civilization arriving in our solar system. The tension in this scenario comes from the threat of close proximity and the prospect of dramatic change in our perspective, if the aliens are willing to share information.

First Contact would lead to a big debate over what we should do next: welcome aliens with open arms or tell them to go away. These would be the poles. The continuum of reaction would fall between these two extremes. However, it seems inevitable that there would be extremist fringe groups operating at these poles. Fear would likely drive the isolationists. Hope would be important for the open arms contingent. Power will be a big factor in a Direct First Contact scenario. Some groups may also find apocalyptic connections to First Contact. The results could be chaotic and challenging. Some extremist groups could turn to civil unrest and violence, especially on the isolationist side. Fear appeals will be common. Rumors and misinformation will run rampant.

How can we predict such things for First Contact? Just look at the current debates in our world. Fear based appeals; power grabs and apocalyptic thinking are part of many fringe groups embroiled in a wide variety of issues.

Despite the negative aspects of fringe groups, they need to be heard and their ideas considered. As I mentioned before, human society sometimes needs a push that only fringe groups can provide. The AIDS medical research debate in the 1980s and 90s was a heated battle between activists and health institutions. In the end, the work of the fringe groups, often nasty and confrontational, pushed the government to take action. Without the vehemence of AIDS research fringe groups, the tremendous progress that has been made in AIDS treatment might not have happened. It certainly sped up the process.

What do we do then, in the wake of First Contact?

We need to listen to fringe groups and carefully consider their arguments. We need to separate the facts and legitimate concerns from the fear and misinformation. We need to put it all in context and then begin to make decisions. The real problem may be the media. The media loves fringe groups, because they are confrontational and controversial. That makes for dramatic pictures and enticing headlines. There will have to be a massive effort to get voices from the middle of the debate heard. Perhaps it would be time for radical moderation? Moderate thinking could be expressed in the ways normally used by fringe groups- protests and public demonstrations. Moderates, having considered all sides, will need to be heard in order for us to proceed in a positive way after First Contact. Violence and civil unrest need to be rejected and dialogue promoted. It won’t be easy, but in the end decisions will have to made and action taken by humans. We can’t let debate devolve into a long-standing feud and inaction.

Can we respond to alien First Contact without the violence and acrimony that has marked so many human disagreements? Hopefully. But it is clear to me that there can be no bystanders in such a debate. Once all ideas have been considered, the sensible majority, the rational middle, will need to speak up and be heard.

What do you think? Give your opinion in a comment here or visit the Alien First Contact Facebook page. 

Extraterrestrial Contact: Fear After First Contact

I often find myself splitting human response to First Contact into two poles for this blog. In reality, most human responses operate on a spectrum- a nuanced range from one pole to another. Fear is such a thing.

There is, of course, legitimate fear. Such fear has kept animals of all sorts, including humans, alive for millions of years. A little paranoia is not a bad thing. Caution would be important in the wake of First Contact.

Fear also has negative side. It can be irrational and not based on fact. Or more likely, it could be an overly fearful response to something that should provoke caution. This kind of fear can be fueled by misinformation and rumors. Irrational fear can be really dangerous. It can cause people to do all sorts of awful things in reaction.

The spectrum tells us that humans will likely have a wide variety of responses to First Contact, with some responses falling to the poles. Some people won’t be fearful at all. To the contrary, they will welcome any alien interaction with open arms. Those on the opposite side of the spectrum will want to halt all contact and build space-based missile batteries in defense. The more well considered reactions would probably fall to the middle: openness balanced with caution.

It may seem that I am always promoting the moderate response on this blog. It doesn’t have to be a wishy-washy position, if the moderates are taking the best ideas from throughout the response spectrum. Moderation can be people diluting everything to build consensus. I would agree that moderation of that sort is not helpful. It seems to me that what is required is active and bold moderation. This may be an entirely different animal than what we are used to in human decision making.

My big point for this post is that there are people who will attempt to use fear to get what they want in the wake of alien First Contact. These individuals will speak to groups of humans and stoke the fires of fear to provide the leaders of the groups with power After First Contact. They will use rumors and falsehoods to get people agitated and then provide a fear-based solution of their own making. If people look behind the scenes they will see that there is a clear agenda with this type of individual. They hope to gain something from the agenda: power, money or influence. Exposing this agenda in the course of discussion will be critical. People must ask themselves: is this leader working for their own benefit or for the benefit of humanity? It won’t be easy. The debate inspired by First Contact is likely to be a cacophony at first.

Media outlets around the world will have a huge role to play in this situation. They will have to sort through the tumult and find the carefully considered ideas. They will have to expose those who use fear to leverage their own power. The fear mongers could come from politics, religion…almost any of the human institutions. They may be very highly placed individuals in government or business. The media and the public will have an obligation to go beyond the rhetoric and find the true nature of each fear-based argument. Is it designed to increase power for an individual or organization? Is it a well-considered concern that can help all of humanity? I would imagine that, like so many other things in the human realm, those things will often be wrapped up together. A legitimate concern may be turned into a fear-based power grab. The best human lies start with a kernel of truth. Politicians have been playing these games for centuries.

Critical thinking will be essential After First Contact. It isn’t an easy thing to do. We are all lazy at times and would like someone to tell us what we should think. This is fine for some things. None of us have the time to dissect everything around us. But for the big issues, critical thinking is important. It must be utilized by institutional leaders and the media. But more importantly, it must be utilized by the public and the public in every nation on Earth. This may be demanding for countries that don’t allow for freedom of expression. But those governments will have to allow debate internally if they want to truly be part of the global discussion. Sociologists and political scientists will have to design methods of listening to the public in many different nations at once. We may have to refine global opinion polling and take it to a new level.

In the end, we will need to think beyond ourselves. Sure, there is plenty of reasonable fear to be had when considering the impact of Alien First Contact. But if we are thinking about everyone on the planet and considering future generations, our decision-making can move beyond fear and to a place that will help us move forward with equal parts of optimism and caution.

What do you think? Give your opinion in a comment here or visit the Alien First Contact Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alien-First-Contact/158053114322999

Extraterrestrial Contact: What First Contact Could Mean for You

Most people would expect a flurry of government, science and media activity if alien contact does occur someday. But what would First Contact mean for you, the individual human, without any ties to those institutions? Your primary role would be spectator. Alien contact would likely have people across the globe glued to their TVs. That may be the only involvement for the vast majority of humans. But there is another role that could be critical: a vocal member of the sensible majority.

What is the sensible majority? It’s the group that tends to take a more measured response to controversial issues. You can call it moderate or middle-of-the-road. It describes a set of humans at the center of a reactionary scale. At either pole are the fringe groups. For alien First Contact one would imagine that these fringe groups will be comprised of those who are very enthusiastic about extensive contact with members of alien civilizations and those who are against any contact. You could call it the cheer and fear dichotomy. The sensible majority would have feelings of excitement about First Contact, mixed with concerns about First Contact. The result might be cautious optimism. How can we make such assumptions of human reaction based on an event that has no equal in human history? I think such a continuum of reaction is a part of human nature. Some of us react quite strongly to issues and divide into opposite poles and others tend to weigh both sides and find value in both. The degree to which this occurs would of course be dependent on how First Contact occurs. If it’s a scary and mysterious First Contact you could expect human reaction to be weighted towards the fear pole. If it’s a transparent and positive event, one would expect reaction to be weighted towards the cheer pole.

What does this matter? Human reaction would be the most critical part of First Contact. Fear would provoke a set of actions by governments and institutions. Cheer would produce a different set of actions. This is important, because those governments and institutions will need to make decisions in the wake of First Contact that could impact humanity for many generations to come.

Once again, it seems important that the sensible majority be heard in such a situation. But there is a problem: the sensible majority tends to be quiet. Moderates are not usually found marching in the streets. That behavior is reserved for people at either end of the spectrum. The problem is that media coverage focuses on the actions of the polar groups. It’s tough for the media to put human reaction to issues in a moderate context, because the moderates are quiet and don’t create “newsworthy” events. The only hope moderates have is to be heard through opinion polls, which can show the moderate viewpoints much better than media stories.

First Contact would likely fall into a similar scenario. Fringe groups on either end of the spectrum would be quite vocal, and perhaps violently so. The media will rush to cover the excitement and the result will be a lack of context. This could be quite dangerous. If governmental policy is shaped by fringe groups, poor decisions could be made. First Contact would require careful and thoughtful decision making. Unfortunately, those decisions will also need to be made quickly. It will be a real challenge.

So, what can the sensible majority do in the wake of First Contact? The answer is simple: stand up and be heard. Don’t allow the fringe groups to garner all the attention. Humans across the planet will need to make sure their voices are heard. Governmental leaders will be watching human reaction closely, looking for cues. The sensible majority will need to get out on the streets and show their numbers. This won’t be easy. The fringe elements will have religious, political and social groups to guide their actions. The sensible majority has no such organizations. It will be up to individual humans to make their voices heard through social media and public activities.

Am I advocating a chaos of protests and counter-protests? Certainly not. I am suggesting peaceful demonstrations of views and attitudes for those who represent moderates in the First Contact conversation.

You may be wondering if any of this will be necessary. You may think that human reaction will muted and well-considered. I wish this would be the case. It may be in the first days and weeks after First Contact. But if humans react as they have for thousands of years of human history, it seems likely that the fringe groups will eventually form and the debate will rage. Be prepared to stand up for what you believe or expect to be drowned out.

Join in on the conversation on the Alien First Contact Facebook page.

Extraterrestrial Contact: The Problem with Abduction Reports

Claims of alien abduction are the foundation of a robust subculture in human society. Whether those claims are true or not, the issue of possible alien interference in human lives is something that would need to be addressed in the wake of Direct First Contact. By Direct First Contact I mean an alien civilization that has traveled to our solar system and communicated with us. Such a situation would raise an obvious set of questions: have these visitors or other visitors come to Earth in the past? Did they conduct biological experiments on Earth? Did those experiments involve humans? Exactly when and where did such contact occur?

Security would be a major concern in the wake of a Direct First Contact event. Due to the very nature of the situation- space-faring aliens in our solar system – there is a possible threat to humanity. We would need to be very protective of our celestial neighborhood and certainly Earth itself. We would have many questions. Hopefully, visiting aliens would come in peace, but it would be wise for us to be cautious and security minded at every step. And I don’t think a military attack of some sort is the only danger. Interference in human politics and governance could be quite harmful. Perhaps the most likely concern should be un-intended consequences of contact with aliens: disruption to the world economic markets, political disturbances and other purely human problems.

We would need to set up guidelines for contact immediately. I have outlined these basic Human Rights that could apply to any alien contact situation:

1. Humans have the right to self-determination.

2. Humans have a right to not be manipulated by other civilizations.

3. Humans have a right not to have the pillars of human society manipulated by other civilizations, including economy, technology, and civic arrangements.

4. The planet Earth is the sacred home of human beings.

5. Life on Earth should not be interfered with or manipulated by outside beings.

6. Humans have a right to determine how First Contact proceeds.

7. Humans can determine how much information and what type of information they decide to receive about the outside universe.

8. The resources of the planet Earth are the property of citizens of Earth.

9. The solar system of Earth is the property and home of citizens of Earth.

10. Earthlings can decide which beings can enter the solar system and under what conditions.

11. Earthlings can decide which beings can enter Earth atmosphere and under what conditions.

12. Humans will enter into the larger known universe as productive and responsible citizens.

13. Humans will decide exactly how that entry into the larger known universe proceeds.

14. Humans will expect honesty from all parties interacting with the citizens of planet Earth.

15. Humans will demand honesty and forthright disclosure of any past interactions between alien civilizations and people of the planet Earth.

I believe that the final point would require a series of interviews or hearings of some sort. A visiting alien civilization would likely be much older than ours, and thus may have had contact with humans in the past. It would be important that visitors lay out a clear history of their actions in our solar system.

We also must consider the possibility that multiple alien civilizations have visited our solar system in the past.  This would make things more complicated. Perhaps visiting aliens would say- “we’ve never done anything bad to humans, but there is another civilization out there that you should know about.” Or perhaps there was a change in alien policy in terms of interaction with humans? Consider how often policy changes occur for governments here on Earth. Is it a stretch to think such problems might occur in an alien civilization?

I personally don’t believe that aliens have visited Earth in our lifetime or that they have abducted humans. But I have no evidence one way or another. There would be plenty of questions to ask in the wake of any First Contact situation.

Some of you may have issues with this post. Please, feel free to post comments on the blog. I appreciate you reading.

Extraterrestrial Contact: React Quickly and then Go Slow and Learn

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If representatives of an extraterrestrial civilization make contact with us some day, we will be at a distinct disadvantage. It seems unlikely that such aliens or the machines made by aliens, would make contact without first doing some research about us.  That means that, chances are, they will know more about us than we know about them. There is really only one responsible way to handle such a situation: react quickly and then go slow and learn.  I’m going to explore this in reverse.

How do we ensure that we go slow and learn? The first step would be to set the agenda. This would be tough to do, if the aliens are the ones making contact. But it would be important for humans to take a couple of steps back and analyze the potential impact of whatever it is the aliens are suggesting. Do they just want to say hello? Are they interested in providing information about themselves? Do they want to unlock the secrets of the universe for us? These examples are quite simplistic and the process is unlikely to be simple. But I think you can see the problem. Our reaction needs to be based on what they are suggesting and also what is in the best interest for humanity. Saying hello back sounds like an entirely logical response. Showing a willingness to learn about their culture and history also seems logical. But we need to set that agenda and decide what topics we should discuss and how it will be done.

Their culture and history could teach us much about aliens, especially if we look behind the communication for indications of the nature of the aliens and their culture. Where are the conflicts in their society? Where are the divisions? How could such issues impact humanity? Who are we dealing with, and perhaps more importantly, whom do they represent? Is it a small sub-culture of aliens or part of a larger group? It’s easy to assume that visiting aliens or their probes represent the entire alien society. But one look in the mirror reminds us that that is seldom how things operate on Earth. Can we really assume aliens are monolithic and of one mind about First Contact with humanity?

Learning the complications and nuances in an alien society would be extremely important and require an expert eye. Human anthropologists might be the most skilled at such an endeavor. They could certainly delineate differences between aliens and humans. But there would probably need to be a wide range of expertise brought to the study of extraterrestrials. Because of that need, it seems likely that we would need an organized effort, so that people from different fields and with different backgrounds can share perspectives and insights.

This would take time. Some human group would need to set a thoughtful and clear agenda. Questions would need to be prioritized. We would need to know alien intentions and expectations. We would need to discuss human security issues and receive assurances about how contact will proceed. There would need to be an organized human structure to carry out the process. All of this would need to be transparent and inclusive to reassure the human public.

Arguments and power struggles in designing this process could be devastating. Humans will need to choose carefully, but the process needs to be mapped out quickly. I know that moving quickly to decide a process sounds like a contradiction for go slow and learn. But in reality, coming up with a general process and deciding who is leading which effort, is critical and needs to happen quickly. Then, with a basic process and organizations structure in place, we need to go slow and learn.

We must respond to First Contact with one clear voice. There would most likely be plenty of debate here on Earth and that would be healthy. However, debate must stay here in the family. When speaking to aliens or alien machines we would need to be united and with a clear purpose and agenda. And then, given some room to breathe, it would be time to go slow and learn. Imagine how exciting that would be.

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Extraterrestrial Contact: Who are the Experts?

--> Perhaps, someday, extraterrestrials will make contact with humans in a way that will allow us to truly communicate with them. It would be a big news story, needless to say. It would be exciting. Everyone would want to feel involved. Depending on how sharing those extraterrestrials might be, we could find out new things about our universe. There will be much to consider with whatever information we can glean from First Contact. In a high information First Contact scenario, new academic fields will need to be created. Old academic fields will need to be updated. The big question is: who will be the experts? Who will be able to provide context? Who will be able to point out pitfalls going forward?

It seems to me that in the wake of Direct First Contact there could be three different periods of human reaction and thought. The first I have discussed before. I call it the stunned period. During this time the event itself will be the focus of all attention. People will be waiting for more information. While the news media will attempt to provide context, via experts, that discussion won’t be easy. It will simply be too soon for anyone to comment with any great insight. The experts will be waiting for information, just like the rest of us. They may be on TV, but they probably won’t have much to say, perhaps only providing more questions. This may last a couple of days or even a week or more.

The second period would be what I would call intellectual anarchy. The old ways of thinking could seem irrelevant given First Contact. When humanity gets a breather and breaks away from the stunned period of observation there will be a flood of speculation and opinion. Because there would be few experts to provide context, the media and others may go looking for context anywhere they can find it. This would especially be prevalent on the Internet. Anyone even loosely associated with the UFO movement or other extraterrestrial speculation would offer themselves as experts. One would hope that the news media and the public itself would recognize the pitfalls of such questionable expertise, but unfortunately that might not always be the case. It’s hard to say how long intellectual anarchy might last. If the news media recognizes the problem, they may attempt to self-correct. If not humanity could be in for wild ride. Rampant speculation could lead to rash reactions and even physical unrest.

There should be a period where intellectual institutions and experts try to reinstate order; this action could be led by the media, the government or other institutions. The point is simple: the people we will need to rely on for expertise will be the same before First Contact as After First Contact. An expert in economics is still an expert in economics. They may need to do a lot of intellectual work to fit their old expertise into the new reality, but they will have the education, experience and skills needed to comment thoughtfully and provide meaningful context.

Why would it be important for the true experts to take control back? There would be immediate concerns in the wake of Direct First Contact. There could be great challenges to economic, political, and religious systems. This could lead to conflict, both intellectual and physical. There will also be long-term concerns. This could include the impact of extraterrestrial information to human sciences. There could also be a psychological challenge for some humans and this could be another area needing study.

There are currently a small number of ready-made experts to provide context in a First Contact situation. If they are not already announcing the event, the scientists at the SETI Institute and NASA Ames Research Center would be important experts on extraterrestrial matters. The Royal Institution of Great Britain is one of the few scientific bodies brave enough to publish papers on the subject. The journal Acta Astronautica by the International Academy of Astronautics has continually provided a forum for new research and ideas. But these astronomers and researchers can only go so far in providing the context and thought needed in the wake of First Contact. If the aliens are willing to share information, it will be a great enlightening for humanity, perhaps the greatest period of enlightenment for all of human history. We will need a wide-range of daring and thoughtful experts to show us the way.

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Extraterrestrial Contact: Respecting Human Institutions

Direct First Contact, where representatives of an extraterrestrial civilization travel to our solar system, would provide many challenges. Security would likely be the first and foremost concern for humans.  A threat to security could come in the form of armed action. This is the scenario we most often dwell upon. But another threat is possible: manipulation, and in dire circumstances, it could be just as harmful.

As we all know, the human civilization is really a conglomeration of cultures, nations and alliances. At best, it can be a complex system. And at worse, the divisions lead to conflict and war. The divisions could provide an opportunity for an outside agent to manipulate humans. An extraterrestrial with an agenda could side with one nation or group of nations to better accomplish their goals. That could create a dangerous situation on Earth, as countries or groups of countries compete for extraterrestrial favors. What would we give up if there were to be some sort of technological information bidding war? How much would a clean, renewable and robust energy source be worth? Would you give up your autonomy for it? Considering such technology could make a nation dominant on Earth, it might be a trade some leaders would consider.

But manipulation doesn’t have to be that drastic. It could also be done in a much more stealthy manner. An extraterrestrial representative could decide to throw humans into conflict, to weaken them. That could be done behind the scenes and without much notice. Divided humans would be much easier to control.

That’s why I think humans must demand and fight for control of any First Contact situation. Humans must make sure that our institutions are not manipulated. That means that we need to speak forcefully and with one voice. Setting ground rules, immediately in the aftermath of a First Contact event, would be essential. Those rules could be revised later, according to need. But at first we would need to be cautious and protective of our human institutions and our human way of doing things.

Humans, left to their own devices, will have a tough time handling First Contact with aplomb and dignity. While we could hope for such a reaction, the reality would probably be messy and full of conflict. But that is how humans operate. Everything in our lives is complicated. We make plenty of mistakes on the road to progress.

Humans need to be human. We need to have the room for a debate about how to proceed After First Contact. That debate needs to be free from extraterrestrial influence. The demand for that freedom is a message that would need to be delivered with one voice. We must have one united voice when speaking to outsiders. And then, here at home, we can splinter into our usual human way: conflict and mess.

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Extraterrestrial Contact: The Challenge for Humanity

First Contact with an extraterrestrial civilization would be a major historical event and perhaps, depending on our level of interaction with aliens, a catalyst for paradigm shifts and revolutions across the spectrum of human sciences. There is no doubt that, in some degree, there would be a change in human perspective as a result of evidence that we are not alone. Once again, that degree would depend on the level of interaction with aliens and the type of information we receive. If it’s the discovery of a mysterious, far-off signal, First Contact would have less of an impact on human perspective than if we can actually converse in some way with aliens.

But those are the merely the passive results of First Contact, the things that will change due to the nature of the information we receive. What about the active endeavors? One could argue that changes in science are not passive, in that they require a great deal of work on the part of researchers and academics. My point is that reactions in science would be reactions to new information. We would not necessarily be actively using the situation to change things in our society. The information we receive about aliens would undoubtedly change us, but we won’t necessarily control the change.

Controlling the change is essential. The change will help to decide the path for human development for generations to come. If we merely react to the information we are given, we are not controlling the change. Humanity needs to see First Contact, in any form it might take, as a challenge that requires a much broader response and a response that would take well-considered, proactive measures. We would need to perceive First Contact not as something that is happening to us, but something that has happened, and that in turn we are determining our course of action. It‘s a big difference.

First Contact provides possibility for the human race. It will give us a new perspective on our role in the universe. It can also be a catalyst for change in the human civilization. If we truly embrace the greater challenge, we could see First Contact as a call for a larger discussion of what we want for human civilization, in both the short-term and long-term. What kinds of things should be discussed? Clearly, First Contact would require us to immediately consider the nature of our world organizations- how nations interact and how we will make decisions as a civilization. International relations are, at best, rather muddled currently. If we find out that alien civilizations exist, the need for some new form of organized discourse between nations, and ultimately better methods of determining action, will be immediate. Other changes could include better economic cooperation, global intervention in developing conflicts and global support of human rights. In the wake of First Contact, humanity will have the opportunity to finally take these issues seriously, on an international level, above and beyond what is happening today in the United Nations and with international diplomacy. First Contact could provide an impetus to action on a new level.

Does First Contact necessarily mean humans will rethink national interactions and come up with solutions to world problems? Of course not- we could easily dissolve into disputes between nations under the pressure of First Contact. It will take hard work and determination to make substantive changes. First Contact would be an opportunity for an evaluation of our civilization. It is an exciting opportunity to chart the course for generations to come. And perhaps we shouldn’t wait around for aliens. Whether anyone else is out there or not, we are one planet, one people- citizens of the universe.

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