13 replies to this topic

[Ducks Guts]

If you had the chance to leave earth to encounter another civilization, would you do it? I always thought of what I'd do if Han and Chewie landed the Millennium Falcon in my front yard and asked me to go with them. Um, yeah honey, pack your bags! With the Star Wars reference out of the way, what would YOU do?

[Otto Cannon]

I'd be deeply suspicious of the selection process if an alien race chose me to live with them as a representative of Earth.

Apart from that though, I don't think many of us sci-fi fans who hang around on a mechwarrior forum would say no.

[Husher]

I'd be keen, but I couldn't help dwelling on all the things that could go wrong. Who knows, maybe wearing blue is the greatest insult to this civilization. Or blinking. Or sneezing. I might not even survive my first day. But the chance to experience something completely foreign, never before seen. That'd be pretty neat. Sign me up.

[Catamount]

I would probably say yes under most circumstances, but it would really depend on the situation.

Would I be allowed to return? If not, what is this civilization like? What if it's a dirty, Bladderunner style Tech Noir world with a rigidly stratified society run like a Campbellian fiction (a few important people considered to be fated to be more important, while the rest are homeric spear carriers)? What if they land and the first words out of their mouths are "hallowed are the Ori"?

I want to know a little more about what I'd be getting into.


With the cautionary thinking out of the way, as I said, I'd probably jump at the opportunity, not because they'd have cool tech and toys and "awesome spaceships"; let's face it, we jaded humans these days tire of novelty almost instantly. After about the third time climbing on board an interstellar spacecraft, it would feel about as exciting as catching a bus.

What would make the journey worthwhile is the chance to encounter the different points of view of different species, to trade culture, to have a vast universe to explore and have something bigger to influence than our little planet, and most importantly, to push hard towards getting humanity as a whole to be included in larger galactic affairs. As long as I wasn't jumping into some hellhole of a place, I'd jump at that opportunity in an instant.

[Banshee Bullet]

Ducks Guts, on 22 September 2012 - 07:16 PM, said:

If you had the chance to leave earth to encounter another civilization, would you do it? I always thought of what I'd do if Han and Chewie landed the Millennium Falcon in my front yard and asked me to go with them. Um, yeah honey, pack your bags! With the Star Wars reference out of the way, what would YOU do?

I used to imagine obi-wan landing on a near-by building, jumping down, and telling me I needed to go with him. Never hesitated.

...still wouldn't.

[kalabaddon]

I would go as long as they did not use teleporters, thoes things are soul sucking devices! will never willing allow my self to be teleported!

I think Larry Nivins known space would be a fancy place to visit!

[Reyge]

Oh, I'd do it in a heart-beat! Off to explore, meet new civilizations, try out their customs and traditions, learn their histories... **** yeah, sounds exciting!

[Thom Frankfurt]

Dude you seriouslly have to ask on the forums? I don't believe there's anyone on her that would say 'no.' But now that I've said that, I'm sure someone will.

I'd have to stop myself long enough to tell the Mrs. that I'm going and she could come if she wanted to... But I'd have to warn her that I'm not sure if I'd be able to remain faithful if I ran into a Twelik or that three boobed chick from Total Recall...

[Grey Sky]

Eeehhh... I mean, it would be a chance no living human has ever had, to see things with fresh eyes and be the last true explorer for generations, experiencing the unexperienced. Sure it would be hard, having to represent the whole human race (I will fail the universal math test, I know that for a fact), but the rewards would be... I can't even describe it. Timeless, irreplacable, unmatched, priceless - these words can't incapsulate the experiences you alone would be privy to. Your name would echo through time and space forever.

...but if it's THESE guys...



OH GOOOOD NOOOO!

[Stormwolf]

Depends on what the aliens are, hot amazon space babes, hell yes! Lovecraftian horrors, hell no....

[Ducks Guts]

Stormwolf, on 25 September 2012 - 01:01 AM, said:

Depends on what the aliens are, hot amazon space babes, hell yes! Lovecraftian horrors, hell no....

Oh man, I didn't even think about the Elder gods. Bleh. Good call.

[Exilyth]

Stormwolf, on 25 September 2012 - 01:01 AM, said:

Depends on what the aliens are, hot amazon space babes, hell yes! Lovecraftian horrors, hell no....

Once you loose your mind, there's not much of a difference...

[Egomane]

To be honest... I don't know!

And I will not know until I find myself in a situaltion like this.

[NPComplete]

Probably. If I saw the aliens were into body mutilation or were very different like giant spiders or something, then no. But If they were roughly human in shape and I thought I could live on their world (e.g. fit into homes, eat their food, etc.) then sure. I would love to see space and I will probably never get to apart from an alien taking me there.