Official First Contact In 2021! How Would You React?

[Victorious Decepticons]

I'd talk to them all, decide which ones have a society that won't drive me as nuts as this one does AND a physical environment that won't kill me at a ridiculously high speed, and then ask that group to take me with 'em.

Didn't realize NSG was full of Physics Doctorates. Guess people who actually work in the field literally just don't know what they're talking about, because nothing can overcome the human spiritTM and apparently that's the absolute rule in the universe.

That has happened so often throughout history that I categorically disbelieve anyone who says that anything is "impossible."

Those examples you're trying to dismiss had "people who actually work in the field" saying they were impossible, too. They weren't. It also typically isn't some physicist who proves the possibility, either, but somebody (or people) who just goes and does it, like the Wright Brothers. Then "those who work in the field" have eggs all over their faces as they scramble to figure out what was wrong with all of their now-obviously-bogus calculations.

If someone is saying something's impossible, it's just a matter of time before he or she is proven wrong. Hopefully FTL will happen on (or very near to) Earth soon enough for me to enjoy seeing you stutter all over your words when it does.

[Kragholm Free States]

Gas the xenos, space war now

[Dumb Ideologies]

Such an advanced civilisation is likely socialist so we must ask them to not merely observe but share their technology and wisdom so that humanity can be reborn through the wisdom of the stars.

[Nobel Hobos 2]

Gas the xenos, space war now

Gas won't work if they don't breathe, and even if they do breath, Sarin etc might be harmless to them.

But it is a deniable kind of attack. Unlike nuking them which is unmistakably hostile and may not work any better than gas!

[An Alan Smithee Nation]

What's ET short for?

He's got tiny little legs

shamelessly stolen from today's Guardian

[Nobel Hobos 2]

There's a chance that:
1) The ets have way more advanced tech than we thought.
2) They may be living closer to home than we thought.

It's possible that there may be lifeforms in the nearby exoplanets.

It's not a matter of advanced tech, it's literally just impossible to go FTL.

I thought the fundamental principle determining that was that information can't go FTL. Which we now know it can.

[Twicetagram and JYPe]

Such an advanced civilisation is likely socialist so we must ask them to not merely observe but share their technology and wisdom so that humanity can be reborn through the wisdom of the stars.

I like the idea of socialist aliens.

But it's not like the whole world's gonna listen to some random nuggets talk about the successes of their idealogy.

[Nobel Hobos 2]

Such an advanced civilisation is likely socialist so we must ask them to not merely observe but share their technology and wisdom so that humanity can be reborn through the wisdom of the stars.

I like the idea of socialist aliens.

But it's not like the whole world's gonna listen to some random nuggets talk about the successes of their idealogy.

You wouldn't have to listen. Just one day, suddenly, you'd be a good socialist citizen wearing overalls in the mechanical pony factory. And singing along with a hearty socialist working song you can't remember ever learning.

"Over my dead body" you say, but the socialist aliens don't need to kill you to change your mind. You'll love your new socialist paradise!

[Dumb Ideologies]

I like the idea of socialist aliens.

But it's not like the whole world's gonna listen to some random nuggets talk about the successes of their idealogy.

You wouldn't have to listen. Just one day, suddenly, you'd be a good socialist citizen wearing overalls in the mechanical pony factory. And singing along with a hearty socialist working song you can't remember ever learning.

"Over my dead body" you say, but the socialist aliens don't need to kill you to change your mind. You'll love your new socialist paradise!

A mechanical pony for every man. Joy drives out fear.

[Rojava Free State]

Thing is we wouldn't know they come in peace. All we would know is flying saucers are landing across the country and a bunch of weird tentacled motherfuckers were getting out.

Would be cool though if instead of it being aliens, it was humans who were the descendants of slaves taken by ancient aliens.

[Chan Island]

I would welcome the aliens and be as friendly as possible, but get very, very serious about acquiring their technology.

Any species advanced enough to come to us would be orders of magnitude further down the tech tree, and that discrepancy would have to be rectified pronto. Ask them for weapons, vehicles, architecture knowledge, space craft and computers/AIs, as all of those things will be essential for securing humanity's continuing existence. Try to find out as much as possible about their history, politics, psychology, geography and physiology.

Basically, the thing I'll be assuming is that we are the native Americans in 1492. We are going to be utterly outmatched on every single metric. So even out the odds, get as much technology and equipment from the aliens as possible, and focus on trying to get governments to expand. All while not antagonising the ETs, because their retribution will be world ending.

Sounds fun. I'll be busy.

[Chan Island]

Thing is we wouldn't know they come in peace. All we would know is flying saucers are landing across the country and a bunch of weird tentacled motherfuckers were getting out.

Would be cool though if instead of it being aliens, it was humans who were the descendants of slaves taken by ancient aliens.

If anything, that could be even more terrifying. It could suggest there is a race of former slave masters out there being very cross that their rebellious human slaves are going back to their homeworld. I would have to assume that the end of the world was happening in that scenario and ask to hitch a ride on their spaceship.

[Rojava Free State]

Thing is we wouldn't know they come in peace. All we would know is flying saucers are landing across the country and a bunch of weird tentacled motherfuckers were getting out.

Would be cool though if instead of it being aliens, it was humans who were the descendants of slaves taken by ancient aliens.

If anything, that could be even more terrifying. It could suggest there is a race of former slave masters out there being very cross that their rebellious human slaves are going back to their homeworld. I would have to assume that the end of the world was happening in that scenario and ask to hitch a ride on their spaceship.

I mean since they're human, we could probably learn their language (it probably being related to ones here on earth in some way albeit with like 3000 years of separation), and figure out if they went extinct or are still out there.

[Radiatia]

I think it would be like any significant news event for me. I'd be very interested for the first few days, I'd be talking about it a lot and then about a week later when the news cycle moves on and I realise I still have bills to pay I'd forget all about it.

[Nobel Hobos 2]

I would welcome the aliens and be as friendly as possible, but get very, very serious about acquiring their technology.

Any species advanced enough to come to us would be orders of magnitude further down the tech tree, and that discrepancy would have to be rectified pronto. Ask them for weapons, vehicles, architecture knowledge, space craft and computers/AIs, as all of those things will be essential for securing humanity's continuing existence. Try to find out as much as possible about their history, politics, psychology, geography and physiology.

Basically, the thing I'll be assuming is that we are the native Americans in 1492. We are going to be utterly outmatched on every single metric. So even out the odds, get as much technology and equipment from the aliens as possible, and focus on trying to get governments to expand. All while not antagonising the ETs, because their retribution will be world ending.

Sounds fun. I'll be busy.

The gap between us might not be only technological. Then a better analogy would be we're like monkeys, not native Americans.

Still though, cooking them a nice turkey dinner should get things off to a good start.

Then we discover they're strict mineraltarians and won't eat anything that has ever been alive. We'll just have to suck it up and eat the nice pebble salad they will make for us ... it's not bad actually, just be careful not to chew it.

[Sundiata]

It would raise more questions about God's place for us all in this giant universe we call home.

[Rusozak]

It would raise more questions about God's place for us all in this giant universe we call home.

Oh it'd shatter or redefine all the major religions for sure. It'd be a faith apocalypse.

[Twicetagram and JYPe]

Imagine if the so-called ETs are actually actual human beings/homo sapiens II. We'd probably've been together at one point but overcrowding and technological gaps posed a problem. The more advanced people left for another planet or solar system, and have never met since. UNTIL NOW!!

Imagine this scenario, and the first time we've met in millenias. Everyone will be stoned for a second, asking each other, "Are you human? Cuz I am." Awkward silences ensues for a while before everyone goes 'Ayyy' and goes to the nearest oub and celebrates their long lost relative's reunion/comeback, which way you look at it.

Then, maybe they'll transport us into a more environmentally-sustainable world, able to hold billions and trillion of people. We both exchange ideas, thoughts and items. It'll be a paradise until some Karen just harps, "I wanna go back to Earth!" Then all Karens, Lindas and Garys form forces to become the Antichrist apocalypse we never needed, nor wanted. Wars and fights prevails for a mighty long time as The Earthseekers Union tries to exploit the newbies and get their tech and zoom back to Earth.

The ending is clouded, but I guess this is one of those 'Choose Your Own Ending' books, I guess.

[Andsed]

Gas the xenos, space war now

Yes start a war with a civilization that is hundreds if not thousands of years more advanced than you. That will surely end well.

[San Lumen]

It would raise more questions about God's place for us all in this giant universe we call home.

Oh it'd shatter or redefine all the major religions for sure. It'd be a faith apocalypse.

I think some overestimate the effect it would have on religion

[Nobel Hobos 2]

Oh it'd shatter or redefine all the major religions for sure. It'd be a faith apocalypse.

I think some overestimate the effect it would have on religion

Polytheistic religions would probably be affected least.

[Nobel Hobos 2]

Though to be more cynical, a spacefaring civilization with the balls to make first contact would probably be hard atheist. They'd use their socialism mind ray to cure everyone of any kind of religion, as a gesture of benevolence.

Then they'd make everyone bisexual, and conservationist, before turning the mind ray to Socialist setting!

I for one welcome our new alien party animals!

[The Cosmic Mainframe]

Any intelligent extraterrestrial life will be completely different from life on Earth, and as a result I think it's very hard to predict how I would react, or really how anyone would react.

If they come in peace, I will most likely welcome them and look forward to what we can learn from each other. But that's all I can really say, and emphasis on "most likely."

[Grenartia]

I'd talk to them all, decide which ones have a society that won't drive me as nuts as this one does AND a physical environment that won't kill me at a ridiculously high speed, and then ask that group to take me with 'em.

Didn't realize NSG was full of Physics Doctorates. Guess people who actually work in the field literally just don't know what they're talking about, because nothing can overcome the human spiritTM and apparently that's the absolute rule in the universe.

That has happened so often throughout history that I categorically disbelieve anyone who says that anything is "impossible."

Those examples you're trying to dismiss had "people who actually work in the field" saying they were impossible, too. They weren't. It also typically isn't some physicist who proves the possibility, either, but somebody (or people) who just goes and does it, like the Wright Brothers. Then "those who work in the field" have eggs all over their faces as they scramble to figure out what was wrong with all of their now-obviously-bogus calculations.

If someone is saying something's impossible, it's just a matter of time before he or she is proven wrong. Hopefully FTL will happen on (or very near to) Earth soon enough for me to enjoy seeing you stutter all over your words when it does.

Even more than that, FTL travel as a concept IS taken seriously in physics. See: Alcubierre drive; wormholes; etc.

Highly speculative, yes, but not at all considered impossible (at least on paper, in practice, it basically is impossible without exotic matter).

Oh it'd shatter or redefine all the major religions for sure. It'd be a faith apocalypse.

I think some overestimate the effect it would have on religion

Indeed, they do. Christianity, at least, has nothing that says life on other worlds is impossible (contrary to the opinions of the Catholic institution during the Middle Ages and early Renaissance).

[Nobel Hobos 2]

Any intelligent extraterrestrial life will be completely different from life on Earth, and as a result I think it's very hard to predict how I would react, or really how anyone would react.

If they come in peace, I will most likely welcome them and look forward to what we can learn from each other.

Well as I said before, landing on the planet unannounced (as in the OP) would be a very bad way to "come in peace".
We would freak the fuck out. The only good alien is a dead alien, and so on.