[ExI] deep space again, was: RE: riots again

[Mike Dougherty]

On Mon, Oct 1, 2012 at 2:44 PM, spike <spike66 at att.net> wrote:
> I suspect that any interstellar or intergalactic communications would be
> intentional, ultra-low bandwidth, carefully crafted and directed, requiring
> a specific technology to receive which we may or may not have, vaguely
> analogous to our writing postcards to the two prominent extropians, but not
> to the aboriginals.

And it's just as likely the odd bit of extra dry leaves upon which you
message was written would be used to start a fire.  Is that any less
intelligent a use for resources than reading about nonsensical far
away things?

I feel it is incredible hubris to believe they are not talking to us
when we are so inept at talking meaningfully amongst ourselves.

Psychic communication is Bullshit (tm)  as are crop circles, ghosts,
extradimensional aliens, UFO, shamans, etc. etc.

Seriously, little green men covered in tatoos of every religious
symbol in this world could pop out of a spaceship and explain every
damn detail of how the universe works... but the likelihood of any
randomly selected human as receiver of that message would be filtered
by their current memeplex and understanding of Things such that what
we get as a second-hand account would land said prole in a hospital
under pharmaceutical restraint.

We're just babies.  If we had any maturity at all we'd stop wondering
when caregivers are going to show up to change our diaper and instead
figure out how to become self-sufficient in case there is someone(s)
else out there... or in case there isn't.



* I assume John Clark has at least some claim to a trademark on
Bullshit.  If not the literal product, then the deeper nuance as
applied to everything I just referenced.