If and when we meet ET (assuming that we already haven't), how should first contact be handled? Should it be the brightest and best/scientists/politicians that get to shake ET's hand or should it be a common person....or a religous/philosophical figure, or?

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The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong in the broken places. ~ Ernest Hemingway ...

Antibiotics...


Or, maybe just washing your hands more often.

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Numbers are not case sensitive. (me)

see thread on sarcasm

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The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong in the broken places. ~ Ernest Hemingway ...

There's a point to my sarcasm if you give it some thought.
I'm illustrating my ideas that there is an overwhelming amount of science to be had and things to consider before thinking about an intelligent first contact.
To add to that... I'm sure an ETI first contact is not going to be out of the blue, and we are going to have a lot of learning before physical contact actually happens. This will lead our direction of what we should do.

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Numbers are not case sensitive. (me)

I cannot think of a good answer to this one, but here's a good (?) question:

How much thought do you think the aliens will have put into it?

Very good question... It goes in line with some additional thoughts I had.

If ET does visit us, don't you think his/her/other actions might dictate how that contact is made?

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Numbers are not case sensitive. (me)

It's unwise to simply assume that ET is going to be just as cautious, never mind their obviously advanced technology and (undoubted) their knowledge of microorganisms. To protect ourselves, we do have to run through worst-case scenarios, even non-deliberate harm.

In this case, we're better off insisting on radio contact alone, or at least staying off the Earth. Tell them we'll meet them on the moon.

Obviously, we'll have a lot of questions for each other. This involves trade. So, what can we offer each other? More specifically, what information would they want that they're willing to exchange for physics/engineering knowledge about how to go to the stars? The only ones I can think of is biological and cultural. Biological, because our environment has different species which WE have studied and they haven't (indeed COULDN'T). Biological and biochemistry information is an especially good deal if they're not carbon-water-oxygen type life. If they are more similar to us, well, infomration about our biosciences might still be useful, although not as much so...in this case, we'll have to throw in a lot of historical and cultural information about ourselves to get that technological know-how to get to the stars.

Regardless, eventually, it'll be a long set of negotiations about trade deals.

Oh, don't expect a whole bunch of interstellar goods and services any time soon. We on our own planet have seen how high technology in one area can destroy another area's competitive advantage, with the low-tech area becoming impoverished. The gap's likely to be even wider when trading with a different species.

You can't just assume that they ET intelligence will be biological. I think it much more likely that some sort of Von Neumann machine will stumble across our little neck of the woods. Maybe they are already on their way, having picked up a weak radio signal coming from this direction. Whether or not they are friendly is up for endless debate until any form of contact happens. My guess is that they would most likely be impartial to humans, just curious about us.

I don't remember where I heard this quote. Some person said, "There are two kinds of life in the universe. Sheep and wolves. The sheep that stay quiet and hidden stay out of danger, while the ones that are loud and make their presence know attract the attention of the wolves..."

Totally unrelated to what I just said, just popped into my head.

(Title)
Get some noisemakers, some sparkling cider...

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Rovers forever! - ToSeek
"The only way to explore the universe is to go and look." - Brian Cox
Well, the best way to find out is to go there and, find out. - Raven's Cry
'Evolution and science are one thing, but you don’t mess with Yoko Ono. Everybody knows that. ' - 386sx

What makes you think that a civilization advanced enough to travel between the stars would be interested in trade? They've basically access to vast resources just within their own solar system, not to mention others.

I doubt we could really understand each other. Most first contact/ET situations in fiction tend to be between humans and almost-humans (ie, beings that may look a bit different, but ultimately think like humans and/or have similar mindsets and motivations). I think this thread is predicated on a similar assumption.

I believe the actions of the alien specie would determine our response, and more than that who is in charge at the time.

Depends entirely on what type of contact. Radio or other long-range communication? If not, do we go to them or do they come to us? If so, how? Under what circumstances do we meet? Or do we (or they or both) send representative AIs?

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"If this were play'd upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable fiction."
Shakespeare, Twelfth Night
Illuminati's Razor-The most complicatedly evil answer is usually the most correct answer. - Fazor
"Every book is a children's book if the kid can read." - Mitch Hedberg
"Distance doesn’t matter much in space, where if you just start a thing off with the right kind of shove, sooner or later it will get where you want it to go." -Frederik Pohl, Mining the Oort

If ET has been orbiting Earth perhaps a million kilometers away for a century, studying our communications, more recently sending covert agents, spy bots etc, then we can expect ET to surprise us with a radio and TV blitz to make the integration of our societies as painless as possible. Humans may get no advance notice other than the generally debunked notice from decades of UFO buffs. Successfully debunking does not necessarily make the debunkers correct. Neil

For interplanetary first contact protocol, I think we should meet on the moon and both put forward our most annoying citizen for the other ambassador to slap. I recommend Bart Sibrel, the symmetry is perfect.

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"What you think you thought you saw you did not see." Agent J, MiB - Manhatten Bureau

You assume ET will have "Hands"?

Here's a type of first contact

http://jaja.kn.vutbr.cz/~adamik/Alie...1,kane_egg.jpg

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Fields of Space

LOGIC, n.
The art of thinking and reasoning in strict accordance with the limitations and incapacities of the human misunderstanding.

In the Year 2525.

"One small step for (a) man. One giant leap for mankind".

If an astronaut doesn't need good grammar, niether does you.

DDT, Removing invisible elves from backyards since 1939.

I would fully expect the extraterrestrials to deny all knowledge of the various UFO sightings around the world that have occured over the last 60 years; they might even be telling the truth. In fact the ET's might even say something like "Yes, we have seen things like that in our sky back home- do you know what they are?"

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Orion's Arm . The Starlark . Voices: Future Tense . OA Flickr set

I'm reminded of a Farside cartoon. Something about the fate of the earth being sealed when John Doe grabbed their leader by the head on shook him.

The aliens head was shaped like a hand.

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Spock Jenkins of the Vulcan Jenkins'.

Step 1: Crouch low to the ground.
Step 2: Raise Fist over head. Step 3: Inhale
Step 4: Leap upwards, while straightening spine.
Step 5: In a loud clear voice say "Yabba..."
Step 6: In same tone of voice say, "...Dabba..."
Step 7: Increasing volume scream," DO!!!"
Step 8: Repeat steps as needed.
At least that's what I will be doing, along with some general "woo hoo"'s and "yippee"'s and other assorted human exclamatory grunts and groans. Strangers may be hugged, and friends franticly phoned. There will be giggling and some general laughter may ensue.

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Maybe this site is being run by ET. ?

They might be studying us, testing us and helping us so that we can get to the right moment to meet each other. Yes I said helping us...

I kinda want to present an idea that I have thought about before and see what y'all think...

This kinda deals with the Area 51 & Roswell type stuff. Could it be they sent us something that crash landed to teach us. Or maybe it wasn't intentionally sent, but just got here from somewhere far away. Maybe like a planetary satellite such as we sent out with Voyager or Pioneer. I think this because at the same time as this happened (Roswell 1947), there was a spike in technological advances (i.e. computers, semiconductors, etc.). Maybe they picked up on us (or gained interest) when we started dropping A-Bombs which was just prior to this time. Obviously, this is all speculation, but nevertheless something worth noting perhaps.

I'll order pizza and live large for the night

I'll smile because it will mean the Council liked my report.

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Rovers forever! - ToSeek
"The only way to explore the universe is to go and look." - Brian Cox
Well, the best way to find out is to go there and, find out. - Raven's Cry
'Evolution and science are one thing, but you don’t mess with Yoko Ono. Everybody knows that. ' - 386sx