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+--- Thread: Psychology of alien contact: Could humanity handle “otherness” of extraterrestrials? (/thread-12570.html)
Psychology of alien contact: Could humanity handle “otherness” of extraterrestrials? - C C - Jul 17, 2022
https://bigthink.com/hard-science/alien-contact-psychology/
KEY POINTS: Humans do not respond well to "otherness." We are frightened and divide ourselves into "us" versus "them." We need to overcome this tendency if we are to have a successful encounter with alien beings. One possible solution, should we make contact with an intelligent alien species, would be to use "neutral" robots to facilitate interaction.
EXCERPTS: . . . And that’s just among humans. If we consider our fellow creatures on Earth, “otherness” is even more of a problem. Why do some animals repel us, while others we want to cuddle? A bear is far more dangerous to humans than a tarantula — a child’s teddy bear conveniently leaves out the teeth and claws — yet we feel more at ease around our fellow mammal. [...] This may explain the preponderance of movie aliens that resemble arthropods...
Science is only beginning to understand the staggering variety of “alien” behaviors on our own planet [...] If we venture into an inhabited universe, we are likely to run into beings that evolved under entirely different physical circumstances. ... Will we be delighted or disgusted by their strangeness?
[...] Of course, some Eastern traditions like Buddhism would do away with notions of “self” and “other” altogether. Perhaps that is the key insight that will allow us, and perhaps other civilizations hoping to travel among the stars, to meet each other with open arms, rather than with weapons drawn... (MORE - missing details)
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Well, yeah -- you can toss "self" aside as a deceptive trinket if you don't give a flip about being conscious of existence to begin with, don't need interests and goals and people/things you care about, and have zero commitment to surviving for any extended period whatsoever. Good luck with that.
RE: Psychology of alien contact: Could humanity handle “otherness” of extraterrestrials? - Magical Realist - Jul 17, 2022
Our self-identity as humans would indeed be tested by an encounter with a true alien. Something along the lines of the beings in the movie "Arrival" where our whole experience of time is called into question. Maybe some AI enhanced ability to telepathically communicate as well.
RE: Psychology of alien contact: Could humanity handle “otherness” of extraterrestrials? - RainbowUnicorn - Jul 17, 2022
who would be in charge of 1st contact ?
politicians who are greedy narcissists
or scientists ?
hopefully scientists
RE: Psychology of alien contact: Could humanity handle “otherness” of extraterrestrials? - Zinjanthropos - Jul 18, 2022
Quote: Humans do not respond well to "otherness."
Assuming aliens respond well to otherness could be a mistake, they may be just like us in that regard.