If invited, would you go to another planet?

So imagine this:
You are married to a loving wife/husband and have a couple of great kids. You have a great job, lots of friends, and live a healthy life.
You are sitting on your porch having a beer before you go to bed.
A white light appears and two beautiful, kind, and peaceful extraterrestrials manifest themselves before your eyes.
They tell you the following:
"We come from a distant world. We have been observing your species for some time. For reasons that you do not yet understand, we have chosen to invite you to our planet and meet our civilization. Unfortunately we can only take one person and if you choose to come you will never be able to return to Earth. You have to make your decision immediately and there will be no time for goodbyes. You may choose to decline this invitation but if you do, we will have to erase all memory of this encounter from your mind for security reasons."
What do you do?

I'd say nope, sorry. Not done exploeing this one yet. Call me back in about twenty years. It's a grea tplace we have here, and ther eis a lot to do. Maybe if people would stop focusing so far away in the stars, we'd already be there.

I'm not sure that this is something you can really know your own answer to unless it happens to you. I guess as of right now, just imagining I would say no, of course not wanting to leave behind my family/children...but, then again you never know what you will do in a situation so big until it happens.

reply to post by MissValentine


But surely it would be better if you had pre-thought the situation. Wouldn't that be better than making such a big decision on the spur of the moment. In fact you could even tell your loved ones: "listen if one day I just vanish from the face of the earth, this is the reason why"

Nope no way. I am a pretty untrusting person. I would not believe them. If they have the power to take me there why can't they take me back?

I'd go in a second. my life is so boring here on Earth.

but i'd have to take two things with me, my guitar and Goodfellas on dvd.

Depends who's asking I guess!!!
Tall blonde Nordic woman or shrivelled little egg headed grey man.......

In all seriousness, i would LOVE to even travel in space, always was an ambition to be an astronaut, so a chance to go to another planet, I would have to say yes, and live with any regrets that may happen.

Excellent question and thread. I think you're right, in that no harm in prethinking the situation (as with most hypothetical situations), figuring out your probable/possible mindset.

I would have to say no to the EBEs as well. If they would allow me to negotiate my darlin' and our two cats joining us, then maybe, but the situation as you posed it, with no negotiations, nope. Thanks for coming by, EBEs, feel free to drop in again. Do you need any water or salt or anything before you go? Would you mind terribly waiting a sec so I can get my camera and take a few stills so I can be mercilessly debunked by one of my favorite websites? Stay there, I'll be RIGHT back.

"Oh honeeeeeeey, you'll never believe what just happened........."

I reckon I would. I'm getting sick of our goverments intrusive ways. I'd only go if i could take my decks and record collection with me. (which of course I'd smuggle my dogs in) I could teach aliens how to do the "big fish little fish cardboard box" dance

wouldn't be a second thought in my mind. i would go in a heartbeat.

i just talked about this with my g/f the other night actually. suppose we launched a manned space mission to Zeta reticuli because we knew where the greys were. and they needed valunteers to go on a 40 year journey (assuming at the time we could travel at the speed of light) i would go in a heart beat, when she asked me why, i replied "because i would be the first person to every do something like that."

I would decline. But a race like that would never make such a request knowing what they do of our nature and how we value family

I would graciously accept the offer, but then decline and insist that my place be given to either Gordon Brown or George Bush, especially if it's only a one way trip.

reply to post by kindred
No for two reasons.First my wife and kids.I couldn't do that to them.Second "for reasons you can't understand".Well if I'm not capable of understanding the reason they want me of all people to go with them,then it's not meant for me to go.Find someone who can understand then.Then Ill offer them a beer,ask them if they could fix my DVR for me

Nope, not even a visit to another world would be worth permanently leaving my wife and loved ones... No deal.

(Not to mention, I'd be HIGHLY suspicious of the motives after such a request)...

My sons are grown and I am single so I would jump at the chance to visit a completely different civilization. I wouldn't even pack and would be on the craft before the alien finished asking! To see different worlds and new life forms? Yes, in a heartbeat!

I would go but only if beer was free and plentiful, but yet made in a way there was no hang over.

Just kidding. My kids still need me, I doubt my wife does.

Have to pass up the chance.

No chance, i dont want to risk being alien food/slave/probed.

I would have to decline. If I could not come back to Earth to part knowledge of what just happened, where I went, what I saw or anything of that nature, what would be the real point?

i wouldnt leave my wife and kids for anything!!!

Anyone who would do this is an extremely self centered person!

To those who would do this..good luck... i hope u end up bieng their thanksgiving or equivilent dinner!!

gimme gimme gimme, me me me

Originally posted by schrodingers dog
For reasons that you do not yet understand, we have chosen to invite you to our planet and meet our civilization. Unfortunately we can only take one person and if you choose to come you will never be able to return to Earth.

For reasons, I do not understand yet, why you come and invite? I won't understand anyway, and don't push me by taking 1 person limitation here, I won't understand anyway.
So come back when I do understand.

And are you so dumb inviting me or someone you knew "Don't Understand yet"


[edit on 19-6-2008 by cheebay]