Cultural Diversity: A Problem for Extraterrestrial Contact

What is the wisest method to approach an extraterrestrial civilization?

C U L T U R A L    C O N V E R G E N CE

If convergent evolution on Earth is an indication of what we might find in planets with conditions like ours, we can predict the existence of a species on a twin Earth with metacognition (self-awareness), an analog to the prefrontal cortex and manual dexterity. This article tries to predict how would an alien,"warp-capable" civilisation approach humanity if they found us. As it turns out, supposing they were not all that similar to us or possessed different kinds of intellect, all life as we know it, shares something primordial: the survival instinct, and intelligent life, most likely, survival logic. This last one is fundamental for the hypotheses presented here.

W H E N   W I L L  W E   '' P H I S I C A L L Y ''   M E E T   T H E M ?

Are we centuries or millennia away from building a ''faster'' than light spaceship? Consider the recent announcement made by Sonny White from NASA revealing a new design for the Alcubirre drive (the real warp drive), in a paper entitled ''Warp Field Mechanics 101'' that reduces the energy requirement of the theoretical drive from the total mass-energy of a planet the size of Jupiter, down to the mass-energy of Voyager-1 (700 kilograms). Some years ago this technology was eons away; just think about scooping a Jupiter and squeezing it into a reaction chamber. Today the problem is no longer the amount of energy but the type it requires: a different kind called negative vacuum energy that we currently have no technology to harvest.  But scientific progress comes with breakthroughs; if not, check this article from Space.com Engage! Warp Drive Could Become Reality with Quantum-Thruster Physics

On the contrary, others argue that beings capable of traveling faster than light could have only learnt to do so at such an advanced state of technological and scientific development when they become super intelligent and uninterested in something as primitive as humanity. But how certain can we be about this supposition? What if FTL travel, as the previous paragraph argues, doesn't really require us becoming a type II or type III civilization in the Kardashev Scale? Will FTL travel turn out to be something like the discovery of nuclear fission, completely changing our history?

So let's assume that "superluminal" travel is possible, that with the right mathematical equation a loophole exists in the forbidding amounts of energy  that would otherwise be required for warp travel and that more than a couple civilizations have developed it and know of our existence. How would they approach humanity?

A P P R O A C H I N G   T H E   Q U E S T I O N 

Obviously it is more difficult to speculate about the very different ones shaped by environments radically different to our own than predicting the behavior of our ''convergent'' extraterrestrials, since we are our only point of reference. By convergent I don't mean human looking aliens but let's just say a convergence on our ability to reason and understand reality. Nevertheless, the question more honestly becomes how would we deal with them, were we the aliens? This is an anthropocentric perspective and you can say limited because we can't be certain that those who will find us first will be anything like man. Yet, paradoxically, we can assume that those more keen on approaching humanity would be more willing to shake a hand like theirs than the tentacles one star system away.

Not to say that of the tentacle beings, who would find it harder to empathize with creepy looking creatures like humans,  we might only meet the dust of annihilation. On a side note, actually we might not, isn't it illogical to think that an extraterrestrial civilization capable of FTL travel would find it convenient to take away Earth's resources, when they abundantly exist elsewhere. Aren't we made of stardust?

For the next thought experiment we become the aliens. Does this have any merit? It does. As mentioned at the beginning, a synonym of "intelligent" life, in the different forms it could take, is probably "survival logic" and this is what drives us in the scenario below.

T H E   T H O U G H T   E X P E R I M E N T:  U S  A P P R O A C H I N G  T H E M

So to begin, let's imagine that the quantum thrusters mentioned earlier become a reality by 2050. By 2060 we have the first FTL interstellar probe. This changes our place in the universe, for ever.

We can reach Alpha Centauri in two weeks. So we set out on several missions to look for habitable planets and extraterrestrial civilizations. The ones we locate within 40 light years are ''primitive'' except one: an advanced civilization in Tau Ceti living on a planet very similar to the Earth. They have started colonization of their planet's two satellites and have small settlements in two of their neighboring planets but they are not superluminal yet; they use chemical rockets for propulsion and their interplanetary transit is small. They could be just decades behind us living in a retro version of space expansion (in the 70's), that on Earth didn't come to be.  If you think about it, it's a bit frightening; they could already have the atom bomb. How dangerous would they be with a "warp ship" carrying nuclear missiles? I don't think we would choose to go down and have a cultural and scientific exchange without observing them first and assessing the situation. Right? Even though we would want to find every reason to do so, given the eagerness for contact,  it wouldn't be wise or prudent.

The mission is instructed not to contact a planet where intelligent life is detected immediately but to return to the Earth to asses their situation here.

So here are some of the questions that arise at the United Nations (just think it possible for our world leaders to discuss the subject openly not wanting to plan secret agendas):

WE CANNOT EXPECT EVERYONE IN A MULTICULTURAL WORLD TO LIKE US

First how do they look like? Let's assume they are humanoid-looking mammals, living on a convergent Earth, a planet born under conditions identical to ours. This would be an important question because if they look like us, they would better be able relate to humanity. We think cats, dogs, dolphins and monkeys are cute, they are mammals like we are. For the majority of humans it is more difficult to be fond of beings with scales or eight legs. How would we find out, without being noticed? We could first try to observe them at isolated areas, perhaps a small island or an arctic region where small communities live, we have to be as discrete as possible. We launch a small drone to take pictures at night or early in the morning (if they sleep). It is wise for our ship to be constantly on the move. We don't want to be shot down for airspace invasion.

We find ourselves with a multicultural world, very much like our own. We need only see how different their cities look from above, they could be from different planets. We used to think of contacting aliens as contacting one people, this is far from reality.

What is the state of their world? Peace or global conflict? Do we observe something that would resemble military bases? With our warp drive we can move from place to place almost instantly, leaving little trail behind us.

The most logical next step, is an effort to tap into their communications network or their version of the internet. Observation continues over the years. Back on Earth everyone is talking about them. Is contact wise? Extraterrestrial anthropology is born.

 What do they believe in? That's an important question.

Are there different ethnicities down there? Do we happen to be just slightly more similar to one in particular? (Think of the holocaust) By any chance, do we share characteristics with the representations of their gods or demons? Or does evil come from the heavens in their holy books? (Think of religious fundamentalists.) Trust me, you don't want to be a horned alien on Earth.

Have they discovered nuclear fission yet? Could we foresee a time in the near future, when a fraction of this warring world in development, gone interstellar could become a direct threat to the Earth? Because we realize that it doesn't take their whole planet to pose a threat to humanity but a few thinking us sinful or dangerous. We don't necessarily have to think about a war for resources. What about ideological conflicts, their extremist groups? What if an alien violent militant sect decides to build a warp ship underground to deliver us from evil, from ourselves? 

Who is the global power and who could be in power soon? We cannot expect everyone in a multicultural world to like us. It would be even worse to choose to contact them without disclosing the science behind our warp spaceships. Wouldn't they become suspicious of humanity's motives?

There's more than meets the eye. If they live in a state of global conflict, could they be covertly developing technologies and weapons that could change the course of their history and ours? 

What deadly viruses or bacteria could they carry?

If we did choose to make contact, would we send a global message or choose one country to contact first? As mentioned, We think of an extraterrestrial civilization as a unit but just look at the Earth.

T H E   R E S O L U T I O N

So if the missions to this world could be in fact regulated and nothing kept secret, if the subject could be discussed with transparency at the UN. Would everyone agree with a resolution of no contact? Think of the military industrial complex. Do you think it likely for them to, secretly, choose different for their own interest?

Here comes the interesting part...

If the military industrial complex, secretly chose to approach them or if the UN eventually chose to send ambassadors. This would probably be most appropriate course of action: Wouldn't it be easier to set our own terms of negotiation for cultural exchange, to expose ourselves, by first contacting and befriending power, in secret? Power has access to resources and information, all we wanted to know.

POWER IN A PLANET IS THE VERY ONE YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO TURN AGAINST YOU

Wouldn't that be the intelligence and military industrial complex of the country or countries in ''control''? And this does sound like the alien conspiracy theory, but surprisingly it happens to make more sense than thinking they would show up in front of everyone and tell us everything about them. 

''If you want my loyalty then you have to offer yours in return''

Could that be the galactic process for planetary contact? Ally with power and after global unification has been achieved then reveal yourself to the rest or risk a multitude of unexpected and uncontrollable responses to your presence.

It is that or wiping us/them out.

What do you think?