An Unusual Situation

How’s the expression go?

“Better the devil I know..”

a reply to: 19Bones79

originally posted by: Turquosie

originally posted by: Terpene
a reply to: 19Bones79

After the surface is scorched their ships will appear in the skies with the promise of a new earth... Don't board...

What if these ETs tell us that Earth will undergo catastrophic changes and all those still on earth will die. That they are trying to help us and not to trust our governments.

So how would we know they will help us or just have us board their ships so we are turned into alien apetizers

?

If the Aliens tell us to bring nothing aboard except mayo and ketchup, that might be a hint.....

a reply to: ITSALIVE

This is something my designated nsa intern would say.

a reply to: Ksihkehe

This is terrible, how will we be able to differentiate between aliens and the alphabet people?

They all look the same to me.

a reply to: Turquosie

o how would we know they will help us or just have us board their ships so we are turned into alien apetizers ?

indeed you don't, I'll stay with mom, nevertheless

a reply to: 19Bones79

A government actively working against its own people...

You are assuming the government is bad, and the people is good. The situation is more complex. Most people is evil, most gov officers are evil, but whatever how many of them are evil or good they all will pass away. Aliens included. And nobody will ever know yours was once an inhabited planet. Just like Venus. Just like Mars.

a reply to: Direne

You are assuming the government is bad,

The funny thing is I believe you're serious when you say that.

a reply to: 19Bones79

Government is a structure, people and monetary incentives are the problem.

You know the tree by it’s fruit.

a reply to: Direne

a reply to: 19Bones79

Perhaps I should rephrase it like this: you assume the government is the only one being bad.

I mean, the question cannot be stated in binary terms (bad vs. good, red vs. blue, white vs. black, aliens vs. humans). If something catastrophically evil will happen, it will happen to each and everyone. Extinction-level events do not discern individuals. If dinosaurs are to be wiped out, all of them will be wiped out. No exceptions allowed.

If governments are to be removed, all of them must be removed, and not simply replaced. Anyway, you are currently past the point of no return, as a civilization. It matters little whether one belongs to this or that political party, professes this or that faith, or is of this or that sex. It does not even matter whether one belongs to this or that species. Everyone is in the same boat. And the ship is sinking.

It is not a question of changing the helmsman, nor of changing the captain. The ship is sinking. Irremediably.

a reply to: Direne

You got a boat off this rock?

a reply to: 19Bones79

I run the simulation. For the nth time. If it fails, I fail, too.

Wow you have an intern? So big and mighty of you. Maybe the aliens will just bow to you along with the governments?

a reply to: 19Bones79

a reply to: ITSALIVE

I'm guessing my intern will include you in the footnote until such time that you are deemed important enough to be individually monitored.


Go on.


Say something crazy.

a reply to: Direne

Can you change a couple of parameters for me, or is the position merely janitorial in scope?

a reply to: 19Bones79

I can, indeed. But it is not a problem of parameters or initial conditions of the simulation itself. It is a problem with the agents being simulated. Even in paradise your species will screw it up. Even in a world designed specifically for you, inhabited by beings you love and would love you, you would end up screwing up. Biological drives are always uncontrollable, and you know that, even if you have a beautiful soul, you are still a beast.

Possessive pronouns are the devil's seed. Any language that has the word mine in it is already a violent language.

Since you find discussing your intern and derailing the OP you authored irresistible. Some of the other sage comments from your intern might include things like

“Mr Johnson here, let me sharpen your crayons for you”
“ Dont worry Mr Johnson, i filed the report that was just sitting on your desk in the to do pile”
“ yes, I took care of your dry cleaning, walked your dog- sorry they were out of Frappuccino’s”
“ yes, I’m excited about the promotion, funny guess that makes me your boss now? Haha we’ll see you Monday”


Btw that’s why you’ve been stuck as an assistant manager. Real bosses don’t have to train the interns- they have peons like you for it.

a reply to: 19Bones79

a reply to: Direne

Biological drives are always uncontrollable, and you know that, even if you have a beautiful soul, you are still a beast.

Why, thank you. It's good to hear that while not standing in front of the mirror.

So you going to let me screw up or what?

a reply to: ITSALIVE

Or...

I've decided on the devil I don't know.

You decide.