What are the otherworldlings waiting for?

[Magical Realist]

Whoever they are, they've been haunting our skies and nuclear plants and farmers' fields since the 1940's. They've been witnessed in flying contraptions as lit up as discos trying to show us they are here. They've had playful dogfights with Navy pilots, glided over cities at night in huge underlit triangles, been spotted by astronauts in space, and have firmly embedded themselves into global human culture for decades now. So what are they waiting for? Why not just go ahead and make contact?

One reason they have been waiting IMO is that they needed the extention of a global electronic media to get their message thru. Something that bypasses altogether the television news media which nightly fixates on mundane status quo stories. And now we have it in the form of the Internet and social media. Now they can introduce themselves on a global scale to us simultaneously with all the fanfare of a history-changing event. They're not waiting for the governments to disclose their existence. They don't need them anymore. They now have an audience of billions all over our planet, starving for any sign of anything from out of this boring world. The people are primed and ready and have had decades to get used to their presence. So let's see what happens.

The question we should be asking now is: "What will a post-contact world look like?"

[Syne]

They're waiting to see if humanity gets any less gullible. A gullible ally is a liability.

[confused2]

They're waiting to see if humanity gets any less gullible. A gullible ally is a liability.

A major poll by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that belief in angels (69%) is slightly higher than or on par with belief in heaven, the power of prayer, and even beliefs in the devil or hell.

Belief in angels is much more prevalent in the U.S. than alternative spiritual ideas like astrology or reincarnation

Cultural Purpose: Sociologists and theologians note that this belief often persists because people find comfort in the idea of spiritual protection, divine guidance, and hope during difficult times.

[Syne]

Imagine that. Some people believe in space aliens, to not feel alone or imbue their world with meaning, and some people believe in angels, to find comfort. Both very similar in my book.

[Magical Realist]

Does not knowing who or what something is count as a belief? More precisely, does it count as a belief that helps one sleep better at night?

[Syne]

A belief is anything you think when you lack knowledge or empirical evidence. Other people's motives, what Paris is like in the spring (assuming you haven't been), etc.. Beliefs can be deeply held or not, with good reason or not... and even just because they comfort you, which is the bulk of affirmation bias.

[Magical Realist]

So again:

Does not knowing who or what something is count as a belief? More precisely, does it count as a belief that helps one sleep better at night?

Do you think for instance believing some unknown stranger is trying to break into your house at night is a comforting belief held just because it feels good?

[Syne]

So again:

Does not knowing who or what something is count as a belief? More precisely, does it count as a belief that helps one sleep better at night?

Already answered, if you could comprehend simple English.

Do you think for instance believing some unknown stranger is trying to break into your house at night is a comforting belief held just because it feels good?

Apparently you also couldn't comprehend my original post.

Imagine that. Some people believe in space aliens, to not feel alone or imbue their world with meaning, and some people believe in angels, to find comfort. Both very similar in my book.

Nothing about finding comfort in believing in space aliens... other than that of affirmation bias, which spares the discomfort of cognitive dissonance.

[Magical Realist]

Nothing about finding comfort in believing in space aliens

Really?

Some people believe in space aliens, to not feel alone or imbue their world with meaning,

Sounds the same to me.

Personally speaking as a believer in whoever they are I take no comfort or meaning from the possibility of being abducted or visited at night in my bed by emaciated bug-eyed xenomorphs. Would you?

[Syne]

Some people believe in space aliens, to not feel alone or imbue their world with meaning,

Sounds the same to me.

Why? Does that help you sleep at night?

Personally speaking as a believer in whoever they are I take no comfort or meaning from the possibility of being abducted or visited at night in my bed by emaciated bug-eyed xenomorphs. Would you?

You can have that strawman argument with the voices in your head.