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Hypothetical Question: Alien Utopia
Glyph
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Say an alien species invades Earth but not a single shot is fired. They have teleportation technology that allows them to send forces anywhere on the planet so they're quickly able to neutralize our command structure and military arsenal before we even have time to respond. They don't harm any of us or even enslave us; in fact we're allowed freedom of thought and expression and they even offer advances in science and technology that give us unlimited resources and the means to explore outside of our planet as well as clinical immortality so that we never have to age or fear starvation or sickness or overpopulation.
Their only terms are that we advance under their guidance. This means those of us who accept their offer are not allowed to commit acts of physical violence against any forms of life higher than plants or insects ever again since we can now molecularly replicate any meal of our choosing. The exception is when mutual consent for violence is given by the individuals involved, such as in sports, martial arts, mating rituals, etc. Of course we would not be allowed to weaponize any of their advanced technology and all tools where lethality is considered their primary function would be dismantled. For instance, hammers would be allowed but not handguns. To ensure that no one is ever harmed, all activity on Earth will be monitored closely until such time that the aliens are convinced we're able to control our violent nature. What this means is you still retain the right to privacy from your fellow human beings but not from the aliens.
The question is would you accept their rule, knowing that unlimited resources means no more economic classes, that you would have to find new ways to compete and that we could only commit violence under special circumstances or in simulated/virtual environments? And if you no longer have to work to live, what would you do with your time? Depending on how you look at it, this either means giving up a part of your identity or incorporating a new one. Because I know plenty of people who would fight an occupation, however benign it might be. For some, the lack of privacy alone and restrictions on weapons is enough to set them off. And if you choose to resist, how would you do it?
Also bear in mind that this would change overall the course of our evolutionary development. It would be terrestrial evolution + extraterrestrial intervention. This is arguably a moot point but could you live with that or would pride/suspicion get in the way? Would you wonder how much more our species might have become without outside help? It's certainly a tempting offer and if you refused to take it, you would be left alone to watch everyone else who accepts the alien's terms ascend. How strongly do your notions of sovereignty and national/regional identity weigh against this prospect?
Their only terms are that we advance under their guidance. This means those of us who accept their offer are not allowed to commit acts of physical violence against any forms of life higher than plants or insects ever again since we can now molecularly replicate any meal of our choosing. The exception is when mutual consent for violence is given by the individuals involved, such as in sports, martial arts, mating rituals, etc. Of course we would not be allowed to weaponize any of their advanced technology and all tools where lethality is considered their primary function would be dismantled. For instance, hammers would be allowed but not handguns. To ensure that no one is ever harmed, all activity on Earth will be monitored closely until such time that the aliens are convinced we're able to control our violent nature. What this means is you still retain the right to privacy from your fellow human beings but not from the aliens.
The question is would you accept their rule, knowing that unlimited resources means no more economic classes, that you would have to find new ways to compete and that we could only commit violence under special circumstances or in simulated/virtual environments? And if you no longer have to work to live, what would you do with your time? Depending on how you look at it, this either means giving up a part of your identity or incorporating a new one. Because I know plenty of people who would fight an occupation, however benign it might be. For some, the lack of privacy alone and restrictions on weapons is enough to set them off. And if you choose to resist, how would you do it?
Also bear in mind that this would change overall the course of our evolutionary development. It would be terrestrial evolution + extraterrestrial intervention. This is arguably a moot point but could you live with that or would pride/suspicion get in the way? Would you wonder how much more our species might have become without outside help? It's certainly a tempting offer and if you refused to take it, you would be left alone to watch everyone else who accepts the alien's terms ascend. How strongly do your notions of sovereignty and national/regional identity weigh against this prospect?
Glyph on
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wait, what?
Where do I sign up?
You can either be the top scientist in your field, or you can have mad cow disease. What do you choose?
You mean kills and then have sex with one?
Fuck yeah.
Only if they land in Alabama.
https://twitter.com/Hooraydiation
Luckily, everything else in the entire world would be better, so I think overall it would probably work out.
I prefer How to Cook for Forty Humans.
And free beer too. Sign me the fuck up.
Likewise to the reckless streetcar rampages in GTA.
Seriously though, I would accept it, but I don't know if I'd end up being happy about it in the long run. Privacy and basic human freedom is a big deal. This is basically altruistic subjugation.
Cool article.
Why can't humans ever accept that things could be perfect? Why do we need struggle?
Are they?
I would put the sum total of three dollars and thirty seven cents on the fact that the first one to rape an alien would be a 37year old trekkie virgin who can not contain himself in the presence of alien breasts bristling with nipples.
bristling
There's bound to be some planets where shit was coming to a head to fast for them to try and be subtle.
They are out of this world.
I am not the least bit sorry.
Aliens blow up the planet 3 hours later.
That was a good show.
The concept of blind racism?
So the question is... how would they fight?
gigantic mechanized robots that do kungfu fight in space with alien motherships?
I would move along, Citizen.
Maybe they view one alien life as worth 6 billion humans.
Maybe they're a hive society who don't understand the concept of individual decisions.
Damn buggers.
Maybe the one that was killed was the forever queen, Who's reproductive tract was the only one in their species that was functional, thus by killing that one, you killed them all
Given that our weapons would be useless anyway, why resist? Lets see, everyone could do and have anything they ever wanted or we could punch each other and hide inside. Clearly if they can monitor us all the time, the could do that now anyway, but without all the immortality and free stuff.
Basically saying no would just be taking all the bad parts of it and rejecting all the benefits.
but they're listening to every word I say