It is a good thing that the UN has decided to appoint an ambassador to the aliens from any perspective. You can’t just ignore them, they’re here and no one knows what their intentions are but if they aren’t good maybe we could persuade them.
From a constructivist this could be a very good thing or a very bad thing. We may be able trade and learn a lot from each other. What if they could use some medicine and have clean energy technology to trade? This is something we would want to look into. Or they could be here to wage intergalactic war; this is also something we need to look into. Sure we need to be concerned about their military power if they have any, but that can’t be our only concern. This political ad from the Reagan administration puts into perspective the kind of view we should take on the aliens http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpwdcmjBgNA.
Like everything in life we should prepare for the worst and hope for the best. It’s better to be safe than sorry, that line may be cliché but this could lead to great advances in technology, absolutely nothing (a district 9 scenario) or total annihilation.
Alex, great example with "the bear" political add. Leave it to Reagan to compare the strength of the United States defense system to a forest animal. One of the main reasons why I really enjoy political commercials is for that very reason of the power of persuasion. In relation to the appointment of an alien ambassador to the United States persuasion and even to an extent manipulation of individuals mind is important to achieve a majority of recognition and in some cases approval.
ReplyDeleteThe second Reagan TV spot from 1984, “The Bear,” is a model of subtlety. The commercial never mentions Reagan’s opponent, Walter Mondale, the Soviet Union, or the threat of nuclear war. It didn’t have to. During the Cold War, everyone knew that the bear (if there is a bear) symbolized the Russians.