First contact: Who should represent humanity?

a reply to: Thecakeisalie

I vote for Jean Luc Picard. Granted, he's not real, and any hopes of a peaceful contact with an E.T. civilization isn't real either. Let's face it, the minute we open our mouths, we're screwed. Our actions as a species speak louder than any words can.

originally posted by: undo
a representative selection of the mammal species that have unique communication skills,perhaps:

a dolphin that has learned to communicate thru computer interface. to represent mammal life in the sea.
a gorilla that has learned to communicate thru symbols (sign language). to represent mammal life on the land.
and finally, a human who is multilingual and has a good concept of metaphor, symbol, and can think out of the box. to represent mammal life that has learned how to exist in the sea, land and air.

You're actually on the right path with that
Humans are soo incredibly egotistical to think they can speak for the planet..

The dominant species does get a priority place,
But it does not solely voice for all..

originally posted by: duaneology
a reply to: Thecakeisalie



Neil deGrasse Tyson.

For many reasons.

I second that nomination.

Me.

I hold no concepts nor agendas and I understand already about the big universal "sea" up there.
I affiliate with no religion nor creed other than the betterment of Humanity as a whole.
I understand deeply how humanity went horribly wrong (greed/money/power) and i really wish it wasn't the way, I understand our potential and the obstacles that block us from our full potential as a planetary society.

And above all.. I'm an Australian.. we "get things" and accept weird concepts/lifeforms a lot easier than most of the world.. not all of us, some in the city's are beyond help.. too much TV.

A closed earth based science/math mind will NOT help.. no matter your IQ, if you cannot grasp the basics (as they prove our science wrong.. close but wrong.. as it'll no doubt be) then anything bigger than that will be a waste and possibly add friction to the encounter as we try to prove our sticks are as good as their Quantum Plasma relay core

I also listen, and question, then listen again.

It's not about us if this happens, we are but babes, the one to interact MUST understand this fact, but still value what makes us Human so as to not just plain sell us out for a shiny glow stick and a trip to the moon.

I has to be a simple, everyday human.. with no agenda's nor political alliance, but still able to convey what it means to be a human being on planet earth.. well... what it "should" mean.. not what it's become.

Or Bill murray.. everyone likes Bill murray..

Well said.

originally posted by: AmmonSeth
The dominant species does get a priority place,
But it does not solely voice for all..

You might be interested in this:

Science Daily: Are we ready for contact with extraterrestrial intelligence?

"Can such a decision be taken on behalf of the whole planet? What would happen if it was successful and 'someone' received our signal? Are we prepared for this type of contact?"

To answer these questions, the professor sent a questionnaire to 116 American, Italian and Spanish university students. The survey assessed their knowledge of astronomy, their level of perception of the physical environment, their opinion on the place that things occupy in the cosmos, as well as religious questions -- for example, "do you believe that God created the universe?" -- or on the likelihood of contact with extraterrestrials.

The results, published in the journal 'Acta Astronautica', indicate that, as a species, humanity is still not ready for trying to actively contact a supposed extraterrestrial civilisation, since people lack knowledge and preparation. For this reason, SETI researchers are recommended in this study to look for alternative strategies.

"This pilot study demonstrates that the knowledge of the general public of a certain education level about the cosmos and our place within it is still poor. Therefore, a cosmic awareness must be further promoted -- where our mind is increasingly conscious of the global reality that surrounds us -- using the best tool available to us: education," De la Torre emphasised. "In this respect, we need a new Galileo to lead this journey."

It was deduced from the questionnaires, which will soon be available to everyone on line, that university students and the rest of society lack awareness on many astronomical aspects, despite the enormous progress of science and technology. It also revealed that the majority of people consider these subjects according to their religious belief and that they would rely on politicians in the event of a huge global-scale crisis having to be resolved.

"Regarding our relation with a possible intelligent extraterrestrial life, we should not rely on moral reference points of thought, since they are heavily influenced by religion."

Bolded for emphasis.

They will choose. And those who are chosen have already been alerted to this. Whether these people can get their act together before it's time is what's tricky.

originally posted by: skunkape23
I vote this guy. Surely the visitors will be awestruck when they see that mullet.

Is that Joe Dirte?

Your average curious citizen with an above average IQ.

Sorry I can't open a new thread but my story is similiar to this topic. I'd still appreciate if someone could copy the text and start a new thread.

Imagine the following scenario:
You and your friend are on a scientific expedition in a remote part of the Amazon.
You discover an isolated human tribe that hardly had any contact to the outside world.
During your brief stay you stumble across a hidden underground installation filled with advanced technology that is obviously not from this planet.
Your best guess is that it must be some kind of comm-station or observation post that seems fully operational.
After you ask the tribe elders about the station they claim it has been there for many generations. The "visitors" have always been friendly and peaceful with the tribe and also provide free medical assistance as long as the tribe never tells outsiders of their presence. The tribe describe the visitors simply as "little people" indicating that they must have some kind of human resemblance.

Because of their non-disclosure-agreement you're not allowed to go back and investigate. The tribe agrees to let you continue you expedition if you never come back to this area and never tell anyone about the visitors.

You and your friend are absolute certain that this installation is not operated by humans. You are not certain how the visitors look like and what the purpose of their presence is.

You keep in mind that the station has:
- been there probably for centuries without any incident
- the visitors live peaceful with the natives
- the visitors seem not to be interested to interact with other humans
- the visitors don't want to reveal their presence to other humans

what would be the right thing to do from your point of view:
1. keep your promise to the tribe and never tell anyone about the base
2. come back later in secret and try to make contact yourself
3. inform the authorities about your discovery. If so which government or organization would you inform?

You have to admit it bothers you that the visitors don't want their presence known since you are not qualified to assess if the alien mission is truly peaceful and only here for observational purposes.
You also argue with yourself that any advanced alien civilization has probably thought the whole thing trough and decided it's in our own best interest not to know about them.
What course of action would be in the best interest for all parties involved?

Dalai Lama and him:

"First contact: Who should represent humanity?"

Bill Murray!

who would best exemplify humanity....

the ACTUAL real-world counterparts to the futuristic 'Borg', 'Romulan' or the group star war villain the 'Sand People'

whom else than ISIS/IS....
saturated with war-combat/All having one singular purpose/cleansing the globe of Infidels as their group purpose...

originally posted by: socpsy
1. keep your promise to the tribe and never tell anyone about the base
2. come back later in secret and try to make contact yourself
3. inform the authorities about your discovery. If so which government or organization would you inform?

3. The United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs, the SETI Institute and the astrophysics department at UW and San Francisco State University at Berkeley.

You have to admit it bothers you that the visitors don't want their presence known since you are not qualified to assess if the alien mission is truly peaceful and only here for observational purposes.

It doesn't really bother me in the least. Why should it. If they were here for nefarious purposes they would have done whatever years ago. The station itself sounds like encampments we set up in the jungle to study apes from a distance. We don't want to be seen because they change their behavior and we're there to observe their behavior.

You also argue with yourself that any advanced alien civilization has probably thought the whole thing trough and decided it's in our own best interest not to know about them.

That I agree with.

What course of action would be in the best interest for all parties involved?

A scientific team made from UNOSA and SETI personnel to make contact with them. They'd be most qualified to assess the situation and relay the news.

originally posted by: JadeStar

originally posted by: charlyv
You need media and documentation talent, historical research/logistics and mainstream science.
So I vote for these 3:

George Knapp
Richard Dolan
Michio Kaku

Which one of those things is not like the other? Hmmm.....

That is a correct observation.
This task requires that all those present need to be outside box thinkers, and have a reputation for "Doing the Time" in their distinct fields and expertise. In foresight, I would make the Mainstream Science team the collaboration of Michio Kaku, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Steven Hawking, because the professional sciences sector will most likely be the determining factor in public acceptance if this baby ever gets a wheel lift.

a reply to: Thecakeisalie

I will definitely go with Will Smith.

The Dalai Lama

a reply to: Kali74

Kali I'm not sure if you remember me but I am Unvarnished from many years ago, it's been awhile! I just remade my account, we used to have good discussions on Skype! Happy New Years!

a reply to: socpsy

1.

2. & 3. have consequences, both invoke misery for the peaceful tribe.

I would remind myself that at the present time, everything is in balance.
However i would take special note of the location.. just in case things got "unbalanced".

a reply to: Thecakeisalie

A newborn child.......Hope,potential,wonder. This is what being human starts with and sadly things like fear slowly erode these very human traits. Thankfully empathy exists and as we grow older self reflection allows this to grow.