Poll: Do you think that we will go to war with aliens?

[Froggy Slayer]

So guys, do you think that if we ever discover alien life on a similar technological level to us that we will go to war with them? Do you think that they'll strike first or us? Personally, I would have to say yes, due to the fact that any alien life could pose a significant threat to our continued survival.

 

[Doclector]

No. The fact is, unless we're talking about a wandering, dilapidated ship like the one in district 9, they don't need anything we have. If they found us, that means they have space travel far beyond ours. Our space travel is practically a box car compared to theirs, and as such, it's highly unlikely we have anything they haven't already got/done better. It'd most likely, be more trouble than it's worth to invade.

The only other possibilities for conflict are if we shot first (which would be stupid. I'm pretty cynical, but I'd think, and hope, we're not that dumb) or if the aliens took offense to us for some religious or idealogical reason.

Of course, if we found the aliens first, then perhaps human greed would take over. I doubt it though. Once we have far reaching space travel, why the hell do we have to go for the inhabited planet's resources?

 

[Eddie the head]

It depends? What are the aliens like? We don't know how they evolved, they could have evolved to be a bonobo. Or they could have evolved be like the grate ape. We don't know anything about the aliens, all we have is the human element. And that's not enough.

 

[Megawat22]

I don't think we'd go to war with the aliens unless they were the aggressors.
I figure they'd be treated like we treat all new things. There'd be caution and confusion as we figure them out, a bunch of loud mouths will start getting rowdy, crazy hate groups will spring up ('dem dere alyens dun took my jerb with their fancy tech-nol-o-gee!) and then we'd gradually get used to them and stop giving a damn.
Although I imagine with aliens there will be a lot of people who want to try to fuck them. Even if they're all males with razor barbed orifices. Because man's desire to fuck everything is both horrible and glorious.

 

[Scarim Coral]

Depend what sort of firepower they have (if they strike first that is). I mean what's the point in fighting back when our weapons has no effect on it at all? Yes it's cowardly but there's no point to send people to their death which will be in vain (can't exactly avenge them when the weapon is inferior to theirs).

 

[scorptatious]

Well, if there are aliens wanting to go to war with us, I sure hope we have some equivalent of the X-COM project at our disposal.

 

[Heronblade]

Too many variables.

For example, the chances are very good that the first (and possibly only) form of alien life we encounter will not be sentient. The odds of finding simple bacterial colonies are several orders of magnitude higher than finding basic macro-cellular life, which is in turn far more likely than a species as mentally advanced as ours (not that our current level of intelligence is particularly impressive on average).

If we do encounter life that is both intelligent and advanced enough that an actual war was possible (as opposed to just having one side flatten the other), the chances of war occurring depend rather heavily on the interaction between our cultures.

We're an aggressive and belligerent species on the whole, and our current understanding of evolution suggests that other sentient species are more likely to descend from hunter ancestors, potentially leading to a similar kind of aggression. On the other hand, serious space exploration takes a level of cooperation that we currently lack. I strongly suspect that we will never leave this solar system until/unless either a large portion of the world learns to mitigate those failings, or some external threat binds us together.

 

[uzo]

Why are we even contemplating talking to xenos scum?? The God-Emperor's Ecclesiarchy teaches us that we are the most divine form of life. This whole conversation reeks of heresy.

Mind you, that instant coffee I just had reeked of heresy as well.

Seriously though, as Heronblade implied, I too expect any species with the intelligence, organisation, and drive to expand to the stars would be descended from an aggressive, social species - like some kind of space wolf; not the descendant of a peace-loving space panda (although the image of a panda in a space suit is remarkably humourous - that, and the ridiculous amount of bamboo they'd need on board for long interstellar voyages).

The first advanced alien species we encounter would likely be our last as we finally enjoy the fate of the inferior species.

Fear the void, for the stars are not lonely.

 

[Zen Toombs]

First off, we have no real way to interact with an alien species that is at our technological level, unless they were in our solar system.

Second off, what reason would we or they have to just attack? A war between equally powerful sides needs to have a strong reason, because it will likely have massive casualties. Unless we have more data (levels of aggression, resources, needs, etc.) we have no idea who would attack first or even if there would be an attack.

 

[Nouw]

Starship Troopers says yes, yes we would. Regardless of whether or not they mean harm, or attacked first, we would go to war. It's rather interesting considering Starship Troopers parallels with some real-life conflicts. I, like Cracked, believe Paul Verhoeven is a time-traveler .

Would you like to know more?

 

[spartan231490]

Of course we will. That's what humanity does, goes to war with everything and anything. If we find aliens, we will without doubt start a war with them. Maybe not immediately, but it won't take long. As a species, we are violent as fuck.

 

[mechalynx]

Yes, based on the fact that if a human can shoot something, it will.

 

[Wolf In A Bear Suit]

Well the simple fact is, if they were advanced enough to contact us, they're probably best not messed with, and I'm sure you will all join me in welcoming our new alien overlords ladies and gents. The only reason I can see for an alien invasion is if they wanted our resources, in which case they'll get on like a house on fire with the Bush administration, HAYOOOOOO. (I jest)

 

[Reaper195]

About as much chance as two people who randomly encounter each other somewhere in the world suddenly fight each other.

Of course, if we were to war with Aliens, we'd be rather fucked. We might be able to put up a bit of a fight on the ground, but then the aliens would just bombard the planet from orbit, not giving a fuck. Because if they had the technology to get to us, they'd surely have some decent weapons.

 

[PsychicTaco115]

As of right now, we're still busy shooting at each other

I don't hav high hopes for the aliens, it they ever do come, but it'll definitely be a short rebellion from the human side

 

[Al-Bundy-da-G]

Yep I give it six months after first contact before someone goes savage and capture and tortures or kills one of the alien species. Happens every time we meet a human with different physical traits, so yea like I said six months.

 

[shrekfan246]

Based upon all historical evidence and most of the science fiction to hit popular culture, I'd have to say the chances are pretty high that we would, even if we were at a technological disadvantage (sometimes especially because we're at a disadvantage) and/or the aliens were friendly.

Even innocuous kid movies like E.T. or Marvin the Martian have the military or scientists (or both) trying to kill and dissect the titular characters. How do you think the rest of their species would react to us picking them apart piece by piece for research purposes, and likely so we could develop guns that would kill them quicker and/or cleaner/messier?

 

[King of Asgaard]

Whatever we do, we just have to make sure that Central Officer Bradford doesn't give battlefield tactics.

 

[Jacco]

Of course we will. That's what humanity does, goes to war with everything and anything. If we find aliens, we will without doubt start a war with them. Maybe not immediately, but it won't take long. As a species, we are violent as fuck.

That's ridiculous. We don't fight wars with animals. Or the environment. We fight wars with each other. We're not any more violent than most species and we're a good deal less so than most.