glenn239 said:
Hi Glenn,
I can`t quote exact references ,but this is quite a well-known effect in our own global society. The arrival of european immigrants in the americas , for instance ,seriously damaged the native populations in several ways , the most devastating being influenza, tuberculosis,sexually transmitted diseases,smallpox etc., but this is not the most important factor .
All of the nations on earth have their religious ,social ,financial and philosophical differences, which seem to cause friction between us. The appearance of a totally alien culture , technically superior , possibly physically and mentally superior, would cause enormous stress between the various religions and cultures .
For instance , how would the christian faith cope with the fact that their creator has also made other beings ? Are they also in his image ?
Do eastern faiths allow for additional deities not of this world?
The catholic church may raise some objections ,as they have only just come to terms with the acceptance of Gallileo`s view of our solar system (sorry about that any RC`s,but you are dragging your feet a bit on this one) which may make them resistant to aliens from ` outside `.
Another factor which could cause serious financial and social upheaval is alien technology. It`s a fact that if another culture discovers you ,then they are most likely to be more technically advanced. This can be seen in our own history , where expanding cultures like the Romans, vikings ,mongols,persians etc.,having some technical or cultural advantage (military or social )were able to expand into neighbouring states.
In no way am I suggesting the "Alien Invasion" scenario,but with the arrival of advanced technology our major industrial production methods may be made obsolete, by providing cheap transportation or significant mass production methods ,requiring less labour . An advanced culture may have a totally different outlook on the role of it`s citizens, expecting each person to reach their optimum capabilities as a social responsibility.
So, their is a lot to consider, when we meet we must be ready ,so start thinking now!
Whew ,I `m tired ,got to rest now .
Regards, Awdsci