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So where is everybody?

Started by Crewe, June 08, 2020, 01:07:38 PM

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Crewe

You fellas ever read about the Fermi paradox?
I discovered everal years ago and come back to it once I a while just because it's so fascinating to me.
This paradox revolves around the vastness of the universe and that there must be other life and if so, where are they?

https://waitbutwhy.com/2014/05/fermi-paradox.html

It's an involved theory but essentially the idea is there's a great filter that no civilization in the universe has progressed beyond.
Regarding Earth then, the options are, we are rare. one of the very few to make it beyond the filter. Another is, we are the first civilization to surprise the great filter. Or, we're fucked because the great filter is ahead of us.
If you have time, give that a look and chime in.

TheNorm

Judging by what I've seen for almost the last four years and especially the last six months, we're fucked. Well maybe us anyway.  ;)

But in all seriousness, I hadn't heard of it until now and gave it a bit of a read through tonight. I've typically fallen in with the 'numbers game' camp; odds are that based on the size of the known universe and that we only occupy one tiny little speck of it there's no way in hell we're the only "intelligent" species out here. Probably weren't even the first, and won't be the last.

I also subscribe to the theory that since there is more than likely far more advanced species out there that we probably don't want them to come for a visit. Maybe it's because I've seen one too many alien invasion movies, but I don't think they're coming for our good; more than likely they're gonna pull a Columbus instead (say they discovered this planet even though we're here and then do terrible things to the inhabitants). Of course, it's also possible they swooped by anytime in the last four years and took a glance before making sure the doors were locked on their vehicles and kept on moving. I also won't rule out that maybe some of them have infiltrated humankind this whole time (I'm talking centuries before you and I were around) and live among us, watching our "progress", like we're in a zoo.

Do I think we've made it beyond the great filter? That's complicated to me. It's undeniable that our species has made huge strides in its time on the planet. But is this the apex of where we can go? I sure as hell hope not. I feel like we're on the verge of doing so much more if we could just stop getting in our own fucking way. We're the barrier.

Also glad I got to read through that article, as it mentions Michio Kaku (he's near the end of the article, where he summed up the possibility that higher civilizations are all around us but we're just too primitive to perceive them). He was one of the keynote speakers at a conference I went to back in 2015 (San Antonio, no less), and I found him fascinating to listen to (look him up if you get the chance). Meant to snag a couple of his books then but forgot, an error I think I'll correct tonight.
"But it is not enough for me to stand before you tonight and condemn riots. It would be morally irresponsible for me to do that without, at the same time, condemning the contingent, intolerable conditions that exist in our society. These conditions are the things that cause individuals to feel that they have no other alternative than to engage in violent rebellions to get attention. And I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the negro poor has worsened over the last twelve or fifteen years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice and humanity." - Martin Luther King, Jr

BojackHorsefella

Quote from: TheNorm on June 13, 2020, 01:03:38 AM
I also subscribe to the theory that since there is more than likely far more advanced species out there that we probably don't want them to come for a visit. Maybe it's because I've seen one too many alien invasion movies, but I don't think they're coming for our good; more than likely they're gonna pull a Columbus instead (say they discovered this planet even though we're here and then do terrible things to the inhabitants). Of course, it's also possible they swooped by anytime in the last four years and took a glance before making sure the doors were locked on their vehicles and kept on moving. I also won't rule out that maybe some of them have infiltrated humankind this whole time (I'm talking centuries before you and I were around) and live among us, watching our "progress", like we're in a zoo.

On that note, I saw one thing the other day that compared it to like, when dam up a river and flood an area, we may care about the wildlife, but we don't care about, say, the ants that will drown. Well, a species that advanced may just treat us like ants. No giant war, not even an eternity of subjugation. Just quick, thoughtless destruction without warning or any consideration.

Crewe

Im pretty much on par with that, I mean, we are so self important as a species, it just makes me think that Earth is like the deep East Texas of our universe. Other civilizations know we are here, but we are just an afterthought. Mostly harmless.

Ill look up Michio Kaku. Thanks