Hmmm... Strange Little Paradox I Just Thought Of

Assume for a moment that aliens are visiting earth (probably not a big assumption for most people here). Let us also assume that the aliens have a certain interest in earth.

Given this information, I think there's a paradox that emerges that makes the conspiracy theory of "the government and the aliens" working together secretly obsolete and impossible.

The government would work with the aliens for one purpose - to make money. How this is made is not important (although it would likely involving recieving technologies that it then patents and sells). What is important, however, is what the aliens want in return. If the aliens want earth for natural resources, for cheap labour or slavery, or any physical value, then it makes no sense for them to hide from the general public while secretly working with the government.

It is, in fact, quite analogous to the Western nations and 3rd-world countries. We/Corporations build factories in other countries where they can more easily afford production of whatever they seek. They then sell it to us in the Western nations and make a killing in profit.

An alien race would want the earth for cheap resources that it could mine, cultivate, or produce with minimal expenditure on their part, and for maximum profit back to themselves.

However, these economic models work best when the entire 3rd-world country is subjected to them. It actually helps boost their economies. Or as they say in economics "there need not be a winner and loser in trading - both sides can be better off". So why would the aliens hold back if this were the case? It makes no sense.

And that is the paradox. If they were here for the materials, they why aren't they already here? Of course, by "here" in the second part of that I mean "why aren't they doing things publicly?"

Thus, I think that if aliens are coming to earth, and IF they are working with our governments (which I don't believe so - I think the government's are just worried and the aliens don't care), then it would have to be for something OTHER than world-domination, labour/slavery, or anything else so physically related. If they were interested in those things, they would have "invaded" (like globalism) a long time ago.

Now, of course, that's assuming they need anything on earth at all. If it's resources they're after, there's a TON elsewhere. We should also assume that they have massive scientific knowledge ahead of us, and so could grow food or other biological materials that can't normally be found. The idea of requiring humans for reproductive purposes also sounds rather bunk - since we pretty much almost have the technology to clone ourselves.

So, I'm not trying to say aliens aren't here, or aren't working with our government - just that I don't think it's for world domination or natural resources.

Those are a lot of assumptions.

Why do they have to want something, in the physical sense, in order for them to be visiting us? Humans have travelled into space for several decades now. Our biggest goal was never the search for natural resources. We are just naturally explorers... both here at home and in outer space.

Maybe the aliens who are visiting us are just explorers as well. Maybe they are being diplomatic with our government and trying to establish a good relationship early-on, before we become extremely advanced in terms of space travel.

The point is, there's a million possible reasons for their visitation. They could even be coming on scientific missions to learn more about humans, our society and governments, etc. We do similar things here on earth when we go into the jungle to learn more about gorillas, when we go into the ocean to learn more about sharks, etc, etc.

I don't think that the aliens are here for natural resources (at least not so far). Wouldn't we have noticed such a large amount of whatever resource they wanted was missing?

I also think that it could be wrong for us to use normal human logic when trying to figure out an alien race that us civilians know very little to absolutely nothing about. We can't even agree on what they look like or what their space vessels look like, let alone what it is they want when they come here.

So in my opinion it is extremely premature to dismiss anything in regards to alien visitation.

Well - yes - that is a lot of assumptions, but I think it is basically true.

Imho - the simplest explanation is that Intelligent, sentient species with unique cultures are something of a rarity in the universe, and therefore a commodity to them.

Thus they value our civilization and not our planets resources which are not of significant value to them.

They likely are working with certain quasi-governmental agencies to manipulate our culture in order to exert a subtle but real influence on our civilization as we become a space fareing race.

What is their goal? - well it could be to simply keep us from making a civilization ending mistake, or it could be to make us dependant on them in the future - thus minimizing any threat or danger we could pose to the universe.

Whatever their goal, it is clear that they are not overtly hostile as we would surely be powerless to stop them from taking who or what they want in our present state.

I am optimistic that us Humans will become significant and influential members of the greater "galactic federation" over time - but I also believe it is our duty to prepare our civilization by raising the standard of living throughout the planet as soon as possible.

and, for whatever reason, I fear that the Quasi-Governtmental agencies currently interacting with these aliens are still holding on to the tired and outdated tribal mentality that once served our ancestors so well.

If you have the power to cross light-years of space and go anywhere you want to go, then you don't need to come to Earth to make money. Somewhere out there, there are planets flying around made of pure gold, or plutonium, or whatever else you think is valuable. Once you've conquered time and space, you don't have the same needs as the rest of us poor slobs.

Originally posted by Rasputin13
Why do they have to want something, in the physical sense, in order for So in my opinion it is extremely premature to dismiss anything in regards to alien visitation.

I'm afraid you may have misinterpreted me. I did not say that aliens WEREN'T here - I was just saying that if they are here, it's not for resources as we commonly know them.

However, I also think that aliens, being logical beings (in order to be able to achieve inter-planetary space flight), would act in a logical manner. Economics is a science rooted in math. If you lower the price of something, more people will either be able to a) afford it, and b) will buy more of it. Thus, sales increase. If sales increase, and the cost of making those sales does not increase by as much, then one is making more profit.

So we likely can use the base economic models that we have in order to figure out the actions of -any- logical entity in a basic trade relationship.

Really, what if our government is AGAINST them? Whats the bigger secrect? We have a pact with the aliens, or we are at war with a far more advanced race.

Once again I might add, what if the aliens simply want to hunt us? To toy with us? No grand master plan, just the tinkering that we ourselves do. It's still bad, but isn't that "deep."

Originally posted by Xenothrope
Really, what if our government is AGAINST them? Whats the bigger secrect? We have a pact with the aliens, or we are at war with a far more advanced race.

Once again I might add, what if the aliens simply want to hunt us? To toy with us? No grand master plan, just the tinkering that we ourselves do. It's still bad, but isn't that "deep."

Its spiritual warfare...for our SOULS.

If there were or are aliens, my guess is the government is keeping quiet about them for the simple reason that they (the government) don't have the slightest clue about what they are or where they come from. It's just as important not to let the "enemy" know how much you don't know as how much you do know. Know what I mean?

Originally posted by TruthMagnet
Well - yes - that is a lot of assumptions, but I think it is basically true.

Imho - the simplest explanation is that Intelligent, sentient species with unique cultures are something of a rarity in the universe, and therefore a commodity to them.

Thus they value our civilization and not our planets resources which are not of significant value to them.

They likely are working with certain quasi-governmental agencies to manipulate our culture in order to exert a subtle but real influence on our civilization as we become a space fareing race.

Maybe we are there children, but a more "evolved type of alien", they put us here as a test? to see if we can survive?, maybe there comming to the end of there existance and want us to take over?. we need to get in contact with them, and if they are real, then if the option was up to me, i would make peace and help each other.

"we are in a universe" yes "we", people say there cant be other races out there but, why would they say we are the only ones?.. its pathetic, if we are here there is bound to be other races out there. and if the govt is hiding it then they dont deserve to be in power @ all.
-

Problems end up affecting others, no one gives two hoots if we live or die, were just slv driven with curruption, when will it stop? when the truth comes out.

mod edit: Censor circumvention and shortened quote

[edit on 17-2-2006 by sanctum]

I feel confident in saying a few things about our ufo/alien visitors:


They don't want our resources.

They don't want to destroy us.

They often appear suddenly and then disappear.

Some humans can see them, some humans can't.

We haven't learned their technological secrets yet or we would use them militarily in Iraq and elsewhere on this planet.

Our concerns are not their concerns.

What else do we know for certain?