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From: knudsen@ihwpt.UUCP (mike knudsen)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Scutle the Space Program?
Message-ID: <758@ihwpt.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 7-Mar-86 12:53:44 EST
Article-I.D.: ihwpt.758
Posted: Fri Mar  7 12:53:44 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 8-Mar-86 23:19:00 EST
References: <860305153340.481402@HIS-BILLERICA-MULTICS.ARPA>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
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> Of course, if we encounter another civilization out there, the
> odds are it won't be anywhere near the level we're at.  Most
> likely, we would encounter an unimaginably more advanced
> civilization.  Earth history suggests we'd be in a lot of
> trouble, whether that other civilization was kindly disposed
> toward us or not.  Cultural interaction has usually been a
> devastating experience.  (I'm thinking of the Spanish
> conquistadores who introduced smallpox to the South American
> natives, sometimes inadvertantly, sometimes deliberately.  Even
> the benign American conquerors of Japan have had enormous impact
> of Japanese culture.)

Yes, running into a more advanced race could be quite a shock.
I believe "2001" 's bureaucrats used that as the excuse to
keep the discoveries and mission secret.
However, it's a chance we'll have to take.  A greater risk
is that the advanced culture may not be so friendly to us.

Incidentally, if we do encounter a friendly race that makes us
look pretty inferior, our mental health may be preserved by
some myths that have been taking a beating  in the net lately.
One is the Star Trek myth that there's something really
instrinsically great about being "human."  Another is the
Western religions.  Finally, our modern ecological sense, that
even a snail-darter is worth preserving for its uniqueness,
will help save our minds if/when we end up looking like
snail darters (a little freshwater fish threatened by US dam
construction, BTW).

Not only did watching Star Trek make me proud to be a human
Earthling, but I recall seeing a stray cat and thinking
"how neat -- a self-contained creature with its own energy
source & intelligence, exploring its environment ... "

Yeah, this is getting off the net.space mainstream,
but it's good mental hygiene to keep our *attitudes* in shape,
and to know some places to get those good ideas from,
no matter how unlikely those sources may seem.
	For space 104%, mike k