Aliens and compassion?

Does anyone remember a film called "enemy mine"? the basic plot as i remember was set in the future-humans versus some breed of alien fighting interglatic space war (original) 2 pilots (1 of each race) crash on some planet and end up helping each other out-alien is asexsual (reproduces on its own) has offspring and entrusts its safety to human pilot,then dies after obviously both coming to understand and respect each other,Blah,blah,blah-film ends with races declaring piece and everyones happy. (i think thats how it ends?)
So when the event happens and we end up meeting aliens up close and personal-does anyone believe that if wars ensued between races that aliens would have no compassionate element to their exsistence?
We all talk about death rays and killing but unless the aliens were trying to commit mass genecide on our race (Hitler and the jews style) then surely situations would arrise where the two partys didnt want to needlesley kill? Point being that maybe like all soldiers there comes a point where following orders is morally wrong-even if you were an alien?
Also there never,ever seems anything mentioned about what alien species are supposed to do in their spare time ie recreational activities? i mean what sort of hobbies would an alien have?
not saying that indulging in a game of alien "ping-pong" is going to stop the destruction of the human race but does anyone believe like me, that aliens cannot be completley devoid of compassion?

as it seems there always talked about like there machines performing some function-never deviating from there agenda.

regards.

[edit on 9-10-2004 by optimus fett]

Humm alians are planing to invade and in there studies they come across florida and take a look at disne world .At this point the become sooo distracted by goofe and micky they forget all about invading and instead go home to creat there own disne world .
the earth lives Happly ever after .
Never know it was saved from invadin alians by a mouse dog and DUCK .

Humm alians are planing to invade and in there studies they come across florida and take a look at disne world

Hmmm...Mickey Mouse: Big eyes, huge disproportioned head, puny little body.
Aliens: Big eyes, huge disproportioned head, puny little body.
Was Mickey Mouse an Alien hybrid? Was bug-eyed big head alien a Walt Disney creation?
Like, Alien from the Freckle-Reticklemybutt star system.....it's possible.
A talking mouse....as if.

Compassion is a human thing. We can not make the claim that a species that evolved on a distant world, not just across the street, would have any cmprehension of compassion, love, hate, war, etc. Thus the term Alien. I.e.- completely different from us.

Thus the term Alien. I.e.- completely different from us.

The Mexicans aren't that different from the rest of us.

[edit on 9-10-2004 by Zero Point]

Yeah, but I meant Fiji Islanders.

Der Kapitan is compassion just a human thing?
"Compassion is a human thing. We can not make the claim that a species that evolved on a distant world, not just across the street, would have any cmprehension of compassion, love, hate, war, etc. Thus the term Alien. I.e.- completely different from us." "

Nor can we claim anything "alien" is really that different...
How do we really know what the difference is?

Originally posted by LL1
Der Kapitan is compassion just a human thing?
"Compassion is a human thing. We can not make the claim that a species that evolved on a distant world, not just across the street, would have any cmprehension of compassion, love, hate, war, etc. Thus the term Alien. I.e.- completely different from us." "

Nor can we claim anything "alien" is really that different...
How do we really know what the difference is?

We know the difference by how they treat us, not by what they espouse through abductees and through our government.

By most accounts, they are not compassionate beings but are self-serving, deceptive, manipulative and subtly imperialistic. They do not strive to live by The Golden Rule -- unless you are talking about the twisted version of same: "Those with the most gold...rule."

Yes, this could be true. But, I think it likely that Earthlings and any alien race would have to learn each others ideas and philosophies to have any understanding of things like compassion. I think it would be a huge assumption that there would be any basic understanding between us and them, at first. And then maybe not at all. You have to admit that possibility.

[edit on 9-10-2004 by Der Kapitan]

Is compassion a learned behavior or involuntary emotion?

abcnews.go.com...

Animals show emotional compassion....

News media, advertising ads plays on our emotions/compassion.
Look how many people send monies for poor children based on
the ads for "Feed The Children". They have no knowledge of their beliefs/philosophies/ideas.
Compassion, a strong emotion of living things...

Sure, absolutely animals show compassion. Earth animals all the way to us humans. But, that's the crux of my point. I think it unwise to assume an alien species, not all, but some, would have concepts of compassion and things alike. Insects do not show compassion, nor do many, many other creatures. As Paul_Richard stated as an example, the Greys are definitely not showing compassion or care in their supposed dealings with earth and it's occupants. I don't think all species we may encounter will be so "cold"- to put it in human terms, I just think it a bad idea to assume that they automaticaly will have those desirable traits.

[edit on 9-10-2004 by Der Kapitan]

Do the vivisectionists amongst us show much compassion for the animals they test on?
Do the hardened psychotic killers amongst us show any compassion for their victims?
Do you ever show any compassion for that bit of cow you throw on the bar-B-Q?
Whilst we may be capable of compassion when and where we feel like it, doesn't mean we are all and always compassionate.
Alien is a relative term isn't it? To our bug-eyed big headed space cousins, it would be us that are the aliens, and just another ideal species of lab-rats to test the latest Alien-Grey range of cosmetics on.

[edit on 9-10-2004 by Zero Point]

Originally posted by Zero Point
Do the vivisectionists amongst us show much compassion for the animals they test on?
Do the hardened psychotic killers amongst us show any compassion for their victims?
Do you ever show any compassion for that bit of cow you throw on the bar-B-Q?
Whilst we may be capable of compassion when and where we feel like it, doesn't mean we are all and always compassionate.

That just shows that there are many Homo sapiens that are as spiritually retarded as the Zetan-aliens.

We must all strive to not be like that and live by The Golden Rule.



[edit on 9-10-2004 by Paul_Richard]

We must all strive to not be like that and live by The Golden Rule.

And the Golden rule is?

The Golden Rule is: Do onto others, then split!

Originally posted by Zero Point

We must all strive to not be like that and live by The Golden Rule.

And the Golden rule is?

The Universality of the Golden Rule in the World Religions

Oh...that golden rule. I thought you were gonna tell me that I can't covert my neighbours a$$...which would be a shame, cuz she's got a gr8 a$$.

The moral issue I think you are referring to is not to covet another's wife.

Whether she is a neighbor or not makes no difference.



[edit on 9-10-2004 by Paul_Richard]

Originally posted by Zero Point

Thus the term Alien. I.e.- completely different from us.

The Mexicans aren't that different from the rest of us.

[edit on 9-10-2004 by Zero Point]

Like hell they arent!

Ever notice that they can eat that super hot sauce? You know, that off the scale hot chili that could be used to strip paint and power nuclear reactors, and they dont get so much as a tear in their eyes? And check out their low riders! Notice how they look like they are "hovering" instead of driving?

If the above points arent proof Mexicans come from outerspace, i dunno what is!

Ever notice that they can eat that super hot sauce? You know, that off the scale hot chili that could be used to strip paint and power nuclear reactors, and they dont get so much as a tear in their eyes? And check out their low riders! Notice how they look like they are "hovering" instead of driving?

Yeeeesssssss... you make a very salient case for Eddie Torrez
originating from further away than south of the border. The old Mexican shape shifting trick eh? Very shifty...very shifty in deed.
Muchos Gracias