[ExI] Interstellar Travel is really hard

[BillK]

On Sat, 8 Jan 2022 at 15:23, spike jones via extropy-chat
<extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
>
> I have long considered that the best explanation for Fermi's paradox.  They
> don't communicate with us because interstellar travel really is just too
> difficult, they can't come here and (because of the time delays) they can't
> really carry on trade.  So... it isn't worth expending the resources to do
> interstellar communications.  It is too much like writing textbooks for
> which you will not be paid.
>
> The problem with that theory is that on a very rare occasion, we do get a
> person who will write a textbook (or make instructional videos) without
> being paid, such as Sal Khan.  Of course he eventually did get paid, but he
> has convinced me that isn't why he quit a very lucrative job and started
> what he does now.  Somewhere out there, some advanced civilization might be
> transmitting an interstellar Khan Academy, which is why I have supported
> SETI all these years.
>
> spike
> _______________________________________________


One problem with interstellar communication is time delay - even at
the speed of light.
Another problem is knowing what level your possible audience is at and
how to communicate with them.
No point in sending nanotech lessons to primitive races.
For more advanced races (like humans) you run into ethical problems
because giving advanced tech to them is like giving guns to children
to play with. It would probably destroy them.
Another problem is broadcasting your existence to even more advanced
races may not be a wise move.
I think advanced races probably think it safer to let other races
develop at their own speed.  :)


BillK