Originally posted by lost...this poll will say little though; ATS is hardly a cross section of the population (not that it matters)
if you conducted this poll across the internet, i doubt you would find a higher concentration of YES than here at ATS.
You are absolutely correct in your statement that this site, and in particular this
forum, does by no means represent a valid statistical
sampling of any population outside this particular community. You are also correct in that the results here do not equal those findings resulting from
professionally conducted polls. However, here are some nationally conducted poll results -- though I cannot attest as to whether the results here in
the US would be reflective of results from other cultures...
From a Roper poll conducted in 1999:
" a new CNN/Time poll released Sunday shows that 80 percent of Americans think the government is hiding knowledge of the existence of
extraterrestrial life forms.
While nearly three-quarters of the 1,024 adults questioned for the poll said they had never seen or known anyone who saw a UFO, 54 percent believe
intelligent life exists outside Earth.
Sixty-four percent of the respondents said that aliens have contacted humans, half said they've abducted humans, and 37 percent said they have
contacted the U.S. government."
From a Roper poll conducted in Oct. 2002:
"...new national poll found that 72 percent of Americans believe the government is not telling the public everything it knows about UFO activity,
and 68 percent think the government knows more about extraterrestrial life than it is letting on..."
"Most respondents said that the government does not share enough information with the public in general (55 percent) and that the U.S. government
should not withhold information about UFO sightings (60 percent) and potential encounters with extraterrestrial life (58 percent) when national
security is not an issue"
These polls are availble through links posted
here at the bottom of the page..
Originally posted by centurion1211The bad thing is that - at least here on earth - lesser civilizations don't survive contact with more
advanced civilizations.
[edit on 1/7/2005 by centurion1211]
Please. This is untrue.
While our history is in fact litterred with examples of such destruction, since mankind has developed an awareness of the intrinsic value in
maintaining indigenous cultures (think
National Geographic), there are countless -- hundred, if not thousands -- of indigenous tribal peoples
all over the world (in both hemispheres) who still live their life in the same traditional manner their forefathers have for centuries.
You will find such people throughout Asia, Africa, and South America. In each case, their culture has "survived" contact with "more advanced
civilizations."
Speaking personally, I'm ready.
As for those around me: My wife says she is, though I'm not sure whether or not she's given it much thought -- maybe she doesn't need to, and she
"just is." My old man says he is ready, while the whole subject appears to make moms uncomfortable. My last surviving grandparent, who lives
alone, would not be able to deal. Haven't discussed this outside immediate family and/or
very close friends, who, BTW, claim to be ready for
at least a "partial" disclosure of the full story.
Given our inherently high level of adaptability as a species, my money would be on a relative easy adaptation. Religions would adapt to proactively
include the existence of extraterrestials in their doctrine -- they would have no choice if theya re to save their power base. Business and trade
would thrive at the possibility of export of earth-specific minerals. New technologies would allow for the exploitation of free (and clean) energy
and the revolution (and evolution) of the manufacturing process (already underway, BTW). And the very existence -- at least the
acknowledgement of existence as such -- would more or less force people to undergo a long-overdue psychological revolution -- the new unifying
factor that would transcend cultural and political boundaries would facilitate this -- without necessarily upsetting the pre-existing geopolitical
power base.
Of course, as is out nature, we are inherently resistent -- at least initially -- to change, though, again, I believe we would not only adjust but
adapt.
Just one man's humble opinion.