Any contact would and should be hushed up. Remember there is a whole gamut of human responses, greed, fear and stupidity being prime examples.

What could the aliens teach us? If we attribute our own values to them they will either teach us 'peace' and 'love', or likely annihilate us and sap our resources. But do they have our values? Regardless of their intentions human reaction will envariably be fight or flight, although mass panic and hysteria would more likely ensue. Anyone who knows even a tiny bit of psychology understands that what an individual might think or do (in reacting to this) is not how they behave in a mob, normally intelligent people can act mindlessly in a crowd or group.


As for sharing of technology, I am afraid I am once again being cynical as the only people likly to benefit from this are governments and big corporations who are more than likely to dribble advances to the general public at a rate that maximises profit and not benefit to mankind. I foresee dark ages rather than an era of enlightenment. Sorry.