NationStates Jolt Archive

I know that this is probably one of the most well tread roads, but something has been sticking with me for a while. For the most part the 'life on Mars' stories predate the knowing that there isn't-which makes sense.

And for the most part we 'find out' about life on Mars by having them invade us (or we invade them). But what if they where on a less imbalanced track? That we weren't way ahead of them or them way ahead of us? Or, we where way ahead of them but now and not spaceships with people on them landing on Mars ahead of them.

Presume any variation of the following-

Probes passing Mars discover it's populated.

Telescopic images discover it's populated.

We recieve their radio or television-type signals the way they would evenually recieve ours.

I don't know exactly when the question of life like ours on Mars was settled, but assume that it was settled in the other direction.

What would it change about our lives on Earth? Would we be focused on reaching them, communicating with them? What would this do to the religous debate-whose image are the martians made in?

I don't want to hear why it couldn't happen or what would have whipped them out before we recognized them or other nattering nieghbob material. We already know there isn't life there and what it's like to live in a solar system with one populated planet. Wet blankets need not apply.

Try reading Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles .

I suppose if we could communicate with them and eventually reach them, The questions would become

What do they have that we don't? and how do we get it from them?

I know that this is probably one of the most well tread roads, but something has been sticking with me for a while. For the most part the 'life on Mars' stories predate the knowing that there isn't-which makes sense.

And for the most part we 'find out' about life on Mars by having them invade us (or we invade them). But what if they where on a less imbalanced track? That we weren't way ahead of them or them way ahead of us? Or, we where way ahead of them but now and not spaceships with people on them landing on Mars ahead of them.

Presume any variation of the following-

Probes passing Mars discover it's populated.

Telescopic images discover it's populated.

We recieve their radio or television-type signals the way they would evenually recieve ours.

I don't know exactly when the question of life like ours on Mars was settled, but assume that it was settled in the other direction.

What would it change about our lives on Earth? Would we be focused on reaching them, communicating with them? What would this do to the religous debate-whose image are the martians made in?

I don't want to hear why it couldn't happen or what would have whipped them out before we recognized them or other nattering nieghbob material. We already know there isn't life there and what it's like to live in a solar system with one populated planet. Wet blankets need not apply.


Me, upon hearing that life has been discovered in Mars.

*points at nearest Christian*

HA-HA!

I suppose if we could communicate with them and eventually reach them, The questions would become

What do they have that we don't? and how do we get it from them?Along with "What do we have that they don't, and how much can make them pay for it?"

Then, perhaps, many governments would be interested in conquering Mars, or at least dominating it economically. Motives? Power, profit, the possibility of having a whole planet with no environmental issues raised.

In my opinion, states would send private missions and establish colonies in order to, later on, conquer or dominate Martians by unfair trade.

"The Martian Chronicles", as they said here, offers very plausible hypothesis.

Yeah, okay, with the Martian Chronicles-not so much.

First, I didn't ask what Ray Bradbury's thoughts where, I asked what yours where.

Second, it has the unbalanced development thing going for it, so that actually doesn't help.

Don't suggest books, kids. I wasn't asking for a reading list, I was asking you to come up with something, to contemplate. You know, on your own. I know you have it in you...

Yeah, okay, with the Martian Chronicles-not so much.

First, I didn't ask what Ray Bradbury's thoughts where, I asked what yours where.

Second, it has the unbalanced development thing going for it, so that actually doesn't help.

Don't suggest books, kids. I wasn't asking for a reading list, I was asking you to come up with something, to contemplate. You know, on your own. I know you have it in you...

These were MY thoughts. After I finish reading what I'd written, I found out they weren't far from that book. That's all.

It all depends upon what sort of beings they are and wheter we could actually survive in eachother's environments.

Yeah, okay, with the Martian Chronicles-not so much.

First, I didn't ask what Ray Bradbury's thoughts where, I asked what yours where.

Second, it has the unbalanced development thing going for it, so that actually doesn't help.

Don't suggest books, kids. I wasn't asking for a reading list, I was asking you to come up with something, to contemplate. You know, on your own. I know you have it in you...


In all seriousness, I would take a few moments to soak up a much larger picture than been previously enjoying.

Then, I think I would revel in that very fact.

That it would indeed change everyones outlook on many questions.
When the answer to "Are we alone?", becomes "No, and theyre very close."
Perspectives change suddenly.

It wouldnt be "are we alone", it would be "they are right next door."

Lets hope theyre friendly, and say hello.

These were MY thoughts. After I finish reading what I'd written, I found out they weren't far from that book. That's all.
It's more towards the first response and stopping that flow. I don't want a list of suggested reading so I thought I'd make that clear.

I'll try and stir the pot a bit.

Presumably they would not be hegemonous (why is that so often the case in sci-fi, why are humans the only mixed bag in the universe but aliens are "warlike" or "logical" or "greedy"...I'm looking at you Star Trek...) Seems likely to have different languages and cultures. That would certainly muddy the waters a bit, slow effecting translations and the like.

I like the idea of Mars television hobbiests. Television wouldn't likely work the same way as ours, I wouldn't think that it would just appear on our tvs, but like Ham Radio operators I imagine garage tinkerers building recievers so that they can watch Martian entertainment. Further, perhaps, people creating programing that would be intended for Mars-would there be a too-late attempt at curbing the garage broadcast-would we try and send a unified signal?

They'd get our TV signals just in time for WWII, certainly that would effect perception.

i think it will be proven that they've been supporting Bin Laden (that's why he has not been caught so far) and a coalition of the willing will invade. That is assuming it has any resources worth it of course

While I appreciate the cynicism of knocking it for it's resources (very topical) I don't see that as much. The resouces that it would take to go there, move them out of the way and then dig up those resources would more than likely be a diminished return. The most vampiric that would seem fesible would to be to cultivate them as a market, which becomes intriguing again. It would still have to be quite the market to make the trip worth it.

We've been pretty 'good' about certain spaces, no nation can 'claim' the poles. Likely we'd be that way on the surface with the Martians, but would nations try and work out special favor with the Martians, other nations react to that, what would the debate be there?

Will the Martians have cars or will they ride unicorns and woozils?

Will the Martians have cars or will they ride unicorns and woozils?
Woozils. Unicorns would be dicks.

I believe in UFOs only becasue (this is goona sound stupid) I have seen two and trust me u "naughty word alert" yourself. I have photo evidence of one and the other looked like a star at first but then it was moving and dancing in the sky it was weird :S

Woozils. Unicorns would be dicks.

Not to mention the dangers of tailgating with unicorns.

I believe in UFOs only becasue (this is goona sound stupid) I have seen two and trust me u "naughty word alert" yourself. I have photo evidence of one and the other looked like a star at first but then it was moving and dancing in the sky it was weird :S
One of only two other people with my name (the real one, which I'm not telling you) had a UFO encounter. He's also a horseshoe champ. I dig that guy. I've never met him, but I dig him.

I sort of had a UFO experience. I'm not sure what I saw, but it wasn't a plane, helicopter, or balloon. I don't really think it was full of little green aliens, but it was unidentified and it was flying, so it qualified as a "UFO".

Please, I'm playing XCOM: UFO Defence right now...

I for one welcome our Martian Overlords.