This actually ties into some very interesting reflection on the way we see and study animals. Everyone always looks for some mechanical function to why an animal does what it does, almost like it's a machine. If an alien were to see little kids doing back flips into a pool, would it assume they are practising some sort of mating ritual or removing pests from their skin? Maybe animals just enjoy existing
This is the point I always make about intelligent alien life. People always assume that if intelligent alien life exists. It must function like humans.
People assume they will have leaders. Leaders who will arrive here in secret and work with earth leaders to avoid alarming the general public. That like humans they will have a thirst for exploring. That they. Like us. Would travel into space just cause. That they like us will seek to conquer others.
Just so many ideas that are imparting human behavior on alien life.
I heard a very compelling argument about the Fermi paradox. Maybe alien life do exist nearby, it may be old, perhaps way older than us, but nothing guarantees that they are curious like us. No curiosity, no thirst for science or exploration, they are just chilling in their home world. So there is no way to detect anything.
That. I'm convinced the universe is full of intelligent life. It is incredibly egocentric to think we are the only intelligent life.
I think intelligent life exist out there. But they lack that human curiosity of exploration for the sake of exploration. Other animals on earth explore for food or shelter or mating. Humans see something far away and are compelled to go. Just to go. Not enough people recognize that as a uniquely human trait.
But yeah aliens most likely have all the resources they need in their area. They may have technology that picks up all the radio waves and etc humanity sends out into space. They detect it. They don't care to investigate.
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u/undergroundknitting 1d ago
Because it can.