June Meme, Day 17
An exciting day today - I am actually going in to work. It's just to pick up a few things, but it will be interesting to see the office again after so long. A colleague went in last week and sent photos of the empty desks. He said there was only one other person there and it is a pretty big place.
Since I have to report to security at a particular time, I need to go shortly, but in the mean time -
17. If you were chosen to be the first human to make contact with aliens, would you want to?
I think so, yes. But can we either invite them to come here, so I can go home each evening, or maybe meet them half-way (which would require a space ship for us and therefore a crew for that space ship)? I would want there to be other humans somewhere close by to act as my emotional anchor and support. I am not sure I'd want to be the only human in an alien society. C.J Cherryh wrote some really good novels based on that premise, but... it would be a lonely and disorientating experience.
And on second thoughts, I'm really not sure I'd want them to come here, demonstrating superior technology all over the place - I've seen too many alien invasion films to feel that would be altogether safe.
But, if I was not the only human there, just the one who met them. Oh yes!
Unfortunately, I'm no psychologist. Are there any xeno-psychologists? Maybe a trained, human psychologist would be too fixed in their thinking, shaped as it would be by human expectations?
Nor am I a linguist. Can I have a babel fish, or access to a TARDIS translator function? So the only (only *g*) barrier to communication would be the shape of our different minds, rather than both that and the method of communication. Then it could be a really fascinating experience. Let's assume they're friendly, yes?
So to answer the question - being a cautious person, I would want assurance that they neither intended to conquer the Earth, or eat me. I would want to know there was the possibility of communication. But with those assurances, yes I would.
Reading that back, I don't think it sounds like I'm a good candidate for first contact. Maybe second. Or third. Or...
The rest of the questions:
18 Would you rather travel a hundred years in the past or a hundred years in the future?
19 When you take a shower, do you let the water warm up before you step in, or do you turn the water on after you step in?
20 What quality makes you feel fierce and powerful? How does that quality manifest itself in your life?
21 At the summer solstice, the light begins to lessen. What in your life would you like to see decrease in the coming months?
22 What was your favourite piece of playground equipment when you were little?
23 Chocolate or vanilla? Or something else?
24 Have you ever deleted a post on social media because you had a low percentage of "likes"?
25 Do enjoy “roughing it” types of vacations such as camping or hiking, or are you more of a five-star hotel/cruise sort of vacationer?
26 If you could become new “side character” in any novel, which novel would you be a part of?
27 When you mentally go to your “happy place,” what does it look like in your mind?
28 Do you prefer working along or as part of a team?
29 What is your least favourite musical band? Why don’t you like them?
30 The year is half over now. What’s been the highlight of 2020 for you so far?
Since I have to report to security at a particular time, I need to go shortly, but in the mean time -
17. If you were chosen to be the first human to make contact with aliens, would you want to?
I think so, yes. But can we either invite them to come here, so I can go home each evening, or maybe meet them half-way (which would require a space ship for us and therefore a crew for that space ship)? I would want there to be other humans somewhere close by to act as my emotional anchor and support. I am not sure I'd want to be the only human in an alien society. C.J Cherryh wrote some really good novels based on that premise, but... it would be a lonely and disorientating experience.
And on second thoughts, I'm really not sure I'd want them to come here, demonstrating superior technology all over the place - I've seen too many alien invasion films to feel that would be altogether safe.
But, if I was not the only human there, just the one who met them. Oh yes!
Unfortunately, I'm no psychologist. Are there any xeno-psychologists? Maybe a trained, human psychologist would be too fixed in their thinking, shaped as it would be by human expectations?
Nor am I a linguist. Can I have a babel fish, or access to a TARDIS translator function? So the only (only *g*) barrier to communication would be the shape of our different minds, rather than both that and the method of communication. Then it could be a really fascinating experience. Let's assume they're friendly, yes?
So to answer the question - being a cautious person, I would want assurance that they neither intended to conquer the Earth, or eat me. I would want to know there was the possibility of communication. But with those assurances, yes I would.
Reading that back, I don't think it sounds like I'm a good candidate for first contact. Maybe second. Or third. Or...
The rest of the questions:
18 Would you rather travel a hundred years in the past or a hundred years in the future?
19 When you take a shower, do you let the water warm up before you step in, or do you turn the water on after you step in?
20 What quality makes you feel fierce and powerful? How does that quality manifest itself in your life?
21 At the summer solstice, the light begins to lessen. What in your life would you like to see decrease in the coming months?
22 What was your favourite piece of playground equipment when you were little?
23 Chocolate or vanilla? Or something else?
24 Have you ever deleted a post on social media because you had a low percentage of "likes"?
25 Do enjoy “roughing it” types of vacations such as camping or hiking, or are you more of a five-star hotel/cruise sort of vacationer?
26 If you could become new “side character” in any novel, which novel would you be a part of?
27 When you mentally go to your “happy place,” what does it look like in your mind?
28 Do you prefer working along or as part of a team?
29 What is your least favourite musical band? Why don’t you like them?
30 The year is half over now. What’s been the highlight of 2020 for you so far?