Extraterrestrial Contact: The Transparency Divide

I often speak of the importance of transparency in any contact with an extraterrestrial civilization. That concept of transparency refers to how human institutions should share all possible information about extraterrestrials with the public. I’m not speaking of any current situation. I don’t believe humans have had contact with extraterrestrials, yet. But there is a flipside to this argument: what expectations do we have for extraterrestrials in regard to transparency? The simple answer is- high expectations.

Transparency is just the latest buzz word for an integral part of human life. Most elements of human society consider honesty and openness to be important and admirable behaviors. They are also behaviors that we often fail to live up to.  That’s quite the dichotomy and one that visiting aliens might have trouble understanding. Honesty and openness are behaviors that we strive for and yet the gray areas are much more common. It would be tough to explain to extraterrestrials the concept of the white lie. Complete honesty and openness could cause chaos in our daily lives, and yet we hold such behavior in high esteem.

So, if the concept of transparency, tied to the human behaviors of honesty and openness, is so complicated for humans, what hope do we have of communicating this concept to aliens? It’s an important consideration. Any direct extraterrestrial contact will likely have an element of fear for humans. The only way to quell that fear is through communication. Extraterrestrials would need to let us know their motives for making contact and make clear their goals for having a relationship with the human race. Honesty is a pretty big part of that communication. How do we trust aliens we know nothing about? One would imagine that their concept of honesty and openness could be quite different from ours- especially when you consider how complicated it is here on Earth.

The situation has been made worse by our colorful imaginations. Books and movies have portrayed so many fearful and disturbing images of alien contact that it would be tough for visiting extraterrestrials to overcome the weight of popular culture. The claims of those humans reporting alien abductions would suddenly need to be reevaluated. Skepticism and caution on our part would require us to take the fears and concerns seriously. We would need honest and upfront communication from aliens. Have they been here before? What previous contact have they had with humans, if any?

Direct First Contact makes one thing easier. If it occurs in the human realm, which I would define as our solar system, it becomes our playing field. Visiting extraterrestrials would need to operate on our terms and work to make us comfortable. If aliens are able to visit our solar system they would be far more technologically advanced. That would put humans and extraterrestrials on unequal footing. The only way to even out the equation is to play by our rules. Our house, our rules.

One would expect visiting extraterrestrials to consider human public relations issues in order to put the best foot forward. Whether or not we believe them is another matter entirely. I suppose that would depend on the quality of their PR plan and the circumstances behind First Contact. A poorly executed First Contact plan could lead to immediate distrust and fear. That wouldn’t help anyone.

The next question is whether we humans would be able to uphold honesty and openness in First Contact? If governments, and other institutions, attempt to keep First Contact under wraps, it will send a message to extraterrestrials: we don’t really value honesty and openness. We just like to talk about it. Provide us lip service and that will be fine.

Lip service- from aliens or from our government could prove to be disastrous. First Contact would create a huge upheaval in human perspective and have a ripple effect throughout human society. Fear and distrust in humans could hurt the relationship with extraterrestrials and, in turn, hurt human civilization. If we are to truly benefit from extraterrestrial contact, human perceptions of honesty and openness will have to be the goal of humans and aliens alike. Extraterrestrials may not fully understand it and humans may have trouble living up to it, but in the end transparency will be the most important part of the new relationship.

Join the conversation on the Alien First Contact Facebookpage.

Extraterrestrial Contact: The Sexual Divide

Take a few steps back for a moment and have a look at the human civilization. We’re a fornication-happy bunch. So much of our culture is driven by sex: music, literature, dance and art. Our interactions often have a sexual component, whether intentionally or in a more subconscious form. The basic foundation of our society- the family unit, is, needless to say, organized by sex. Sex goes way beyond the biological function in the human civilization. The question is: how would reproductive needs drive the growth and development of an extraterrestrial civilization?

This may seem like a small consideration in the wake of First Contact. However, considering how important sex is in the development of our civilization, it’s possible that in the long term our relationship with an extraterrestrial civilization might come down to how well we can understand, and relate to, their reproductive needs and how it manifests in their civilization.

It seems likely that extraterrestrial reproduction would be very different than human sexual functions. It could be a difference that would be hard for us to grasp. This might actually be the best case scenario. There is also the possibility that it could be similar to human functions, but different enough for us to perceive it as gross. Once again, that may sound like a minor thing, but think of all the ways human sexuality comes out in our civilization. And then consider the implication if our reproductive behaviors are disgusting to extraterrestrials and their reproduction is disgusting to us. It seems like that could have a big impact on a new relationship.

There is the possibility that sexual reproduction would no longer be a biological function for extraterrestrials. If they are advanced enough in technology, they might have moved beyond biological needs and reproduce in an entirely technological way. Or perhaps they could live in a virtual state without reproduction at all? This too would impact the relationship between humans and extraterrestrials. We could view extraterrestrials that live in a technological realm, and no longer have biological functions, as even more threatening.

So, what to do? I suppose the only hope would be education. We would have to learn about them and they would need to learn about us. We’ll probably have some similarities and most likely many differences. There will be those in our society who will be “grossed-out” by extraterrestrials and let that gut reaction impact their perception. There will be those of us who push back at those gut reactions and work to appreciate the beauty of another life form. Perhaps alien Kinsey reports could help us along the way.

What do you think of the prospect of alien sex? Join the conversation on the Alien First Contact Facebook page.

Learning Together about a New Civilization

Many of us believe that all humans have a fundamental right to participate in extraterrestrial First Contact. Granted, for most humans that role will be purely observational, at first. However, through media and institutional feedback, observation will turn into opinion and have an impact on how humans respond. Governments and institutions will be watching public reaction closely for cues about how to proceed. For this reason, and many others, any extraterrestrial contact event needs to be completely transparent and shared with the world.

In a sense, we humans would be learning about a new civilization together. Depending on the aliens and the type of contact we achieve, there may be a lot of information about a new civilization or there could be very little. It seems likely First Contact will fall to the later end of the spectrum. Scientists may need decades to sort out ambiguous alien signals or even contact. It could be a confusing process. No matter how complicated, that process needs to be shared with the world and in every detail.

This will place a huge responsibility on academics and institutions to be educators. Hopefully, that won’t be a big leap for the educators. It could, however, be a burden to governments, especially those with a propensity to control information given to the public.

So, what do we get from this collective education? I would imagine at the very least humans would acquire a new perspective on our role and place in the universe. That could be the case even in a mysterious First Contact situation. If the aliens are communicating directly with us, and in a timely fashion, (unlikely, unless they are visiting our solar system) we may learn quite a bit about their civilization. What would that mean to us? It certainly provides even more perspective. It could also bring us new knowledge of science and technology, once we can understand their way of thinking (again, no small matter). Would we suddenly become enthralled with another civilization and have a debate comparing alien society to human civilization? Perhaps. It seems that such a debate would have predictable poles: those against any alien influence and those who think aliens have a great way of living that we should incorporate. Once again, it’s completely dependent on what the aliens decide to share and whether we can fully understand what they share.

In a high-information First Contact event, one in which they share much of their knowledge; we will need to be careful about what we decide to incorporate. While I support complete transparency in the process, there may be specific scientific and technical information that we have to carefully consider before integrating it into our civilization. This process could be done in a transparent fashion, without dumping all of the information on our civilization at once. I know this seems like a contradiction, but it’s an important point. Alien information could be harmful to our society if it comes down the mountain in torrent. We may need to control such information.

Are humans up to the task? It’s hard to say. This is complete speculation. Without knowing the true First Contact scenario, if it ever occurs at all, it’s hard to predict the challenges that such a situation would bring. However, it is safe to say it would be a major milestone for the human race as we travel together into a new era of understanding.

Am I being naive about First Contact? Or perhaps too negative? Chime in on the Alien First Contact Facebook page.

Extraterrestrial Contact: A Helpful Media or Not?

Most humans are now connected as part of a global communications web that extends to every nation and nearly every point on Earth. Whatever the channel, those communication lines are often organized by media companies. These days it’s important to broaden our perspective of what defines media. Clearly we are well beyond the days of broadcast and newspaper domination. Internet communications, in a multitude of forms, continues to grow. Websites, blogs, podcasts, TV stations, radio, newspapers, and magazines – these entities act as agenda setters. They seek to define the world from a certain perspective. Individual Facebook pages and Twitter feeds are also used by agenda setters.

So, what impact would the media have in an extraterrestrial Direct First Contact situation? Here I define Direct First Contact as an alien civilization coming to our solar system to say hello.  Would the media be helpful or would they cause problems? The scenario would probably determine the answers to those questions. And since any First Contact scenario is pure speculation, trying to define exact reactions is probably a waste of time. However, we know enough about how our media responds to the current world environment to make some generalizations.

There are several ways that the media could be very helpful in a Direct First Contact event. The web of video and information sharing is so robust these days that an event in a reasonably large city, almost anywhere in the world, can be seen live anywhere else in a matter of minutes.  This makes the human media networks a great way to reach all of humanity at once. Media sharing, especially through live television feeds, are quick, adaptable and redundant. The adaptable part comes in the diversity of sources. A protest in Egypt could come from a traditional network TV camera. It could also be streamed live with a $25 web cam. The media outlets have become much more adaptable in using alternative video sources. This also helps with redundancy. If one media outlet is not doing its job, someone else will likely pick up the slack. If none of the traditional media outlets meet the demands of news viewers, individual people will provide video and reporting. That was shown in many of the Arab spring protests when the traditional media had a tough time gathering video. Making a Direct First Contact event a live television event connects the world to First Contact and takes away the veil of secrecy.

The media could be helpful in explaining First Contact. They would be the first source of information about the visiting extraterrestrials for the majority of humans. They would also report on how human government and institutions respond to First Contact. The media would be essential in educating the public. Such education would be important to minimize fears. There is a flipside- the media could also prepare humans, if they should be fearful. If the world media outlets are doing their job they should be critical of how governments and institutions are responding. The media can provide feedback from the public about how average humans feel about First Contact. Media outlets can conduct surveys to help quantify human reactions.

However, as we all know, human media outlets have their weaknesses. Competition, a driving force behind the success of a free media, can also make a mess. If media outlets act in a rash manner they could take rumors seriously. There is one thing that I can guarantee in any First Contact scenario- there will be plenty of rumors and bad information going around. It may take a few days or weeks to manifest, but incorrect information would undoubtedly bubble beneath the surface of the public conversation. In an environment where everyone is keyed up and nervous, such bad information could be quite destructive.

If media outlets promote incorrect information and get facts wrong they could do more damage than good. Most humans will get their information about First Contact from the media. In a sense, the media will help to determine long-term human reaction. If we live in a fearful, rumor-filled world we will not make good decisions. The resulting actions could hurt the human civilization for generations to come. The initial decisions in any First Contact situation would be critical.

So, how do we keep the media on the good side of communication practices? When it comes to the free media, that responsibility will be largely up to them. The professionals running news organizations and internet sites will need to understand that the importance of their jobs has just grown immensely. They will need to step up to the challenge. It can be done. The American TV networks did an amazing job of handling the 9-11 terrorist strike. I was a first hand witness to the crazy rumors that pop up when people are scared and agitated. The media managed to step up to the plate. They dispelled rumors. They focused on facts.

There are ways that the people controlling First Contact can help. Governments and institutions should make all information available as soon as possible. Secrets will only create bigger problems. Transparency would be critical. The best approach would be to put all the available information out there immediately. If it’s too complicated for one news conference, put it up in its entirety on the web. Have live streaming of all meetings on First Contact issues. Open up the entire process to the public. Don’t rely on the media to explain things- provide trusted experts who can put such issues in perspective.

Information in a Direct First Contact scenario would likely be incredibly complicated and perhaps beyond our initial understanding. Aliens with the technological ability to visit our solar system would probably have a system of science far advanced of ours. If they were willing to share such information we would probably need many years of education to even begin to understand. That doesn’t mean the process needs to be kept behind closed doors. Putting the information out there could help the process- by allowing many different thinkers, from many different perspectives, to consider the ideas.

First Contact could help the human civilization and it could hurt humans and that’s just assuming that the aliens themselves are neutral. We are quite often our own worst enemy. The media will have a huge role to play in First Contact. Here’s hoping that they will be up to the task.

Visit the Alien First Contact Facebook page.