Scifi aliens and humans would get along... sort of.

[Spacescifi]

In the animal world, goats and sheep often live together.

That is arguably a close analogue for scifi alien and human interaction. I read that a goat is happiest among his own kind, and likewise for sheep. Granted if they were raised together they may be friends. But even then it is said that social species are happiest overall with their own kind if it can be achieved.

My point is, even with humanoid aliens, provided the writer  does enough work to make them act differently than your average person, that would be a line of division right there.

Imagine for example humanoids who kill and eat their prey without cooking it? Humans could respect that, but your average person won't want to see them take a baby chick out of his lunchbox and do far worse than ozzy osbourne.

Just like humans may like and respect their pet cats, but would never adopt their strange ways ourselves.

That goes both ways, as the aliens would no doubt feel the same about us.

To me, fictional aliens can in a some way, teach how to adapt to cultures not our own. Although granted, stretching this to the Nth degree of what humans can and cannot tolerate can easily be both comedic and interesting. For the writer and the reader.

Edited May 26, 2019 by Spacescifi

[Shpaget]

Humans have trouble getting along with other humans.

[kerbiloid]

The human nature is very flexible.
Especially for money.

[Spacescifi]

31 minutes ago, kerbiloid said:

The human nature is very flexible.
Especially for money.

 

Money? AKA the human desire for profit. In which case when money becomes worthless it would be the basics that money buys, food, clothing, shelter, and any luxuries you can achieve.

I summed up the human race based on the three main reasons europeans conquered north america. God, glory, and gold. Bear with me, since as I define them they mean more than they appear to at face value.

God: A human desire to solve/answer questions/problems we can neither answer nor solve currently.

Glory: A desire to be liked by other humans.

Gold: A desire for tangible benefits or experiences.

My point us, to the extent that the fictional aliens fulfill these desires, they will definitely hold the human interest.

Up until what makes them act different than us becomes something we do not want to deal with.

 

Edited May 26, 2019 by Spacescifi

[kerbiloid]

16 minutes ago, Spacescifi said:

I summed up the human race based on the three main reasons europeans conquered north america. God, glory, and gold. Bear with me, since as I define them they mean more than they appear to at face value.

God: A human desire to solve/answer questions/problems we can neither answer nor solve currently.

Glory: A desire to be liked by other humans.

Gold: A desire for tangible benefits or experiences.

1.Plowland area = const.
2.Population grows.
3.Usual ways of utilization of the excessive population (crusades, monasteries, etc) don't work anymore. (East - stopped by Slavs, South - stopped by Muslims, West - too rich to continue domestic wars, especially when all lesser feudals are already under the king's rule).

Once an unprotected potential plowland appears, the only question - who is at the head of the queue.
Religious groups obviously were among the first volunteers (less tied to the old land of sin, more organized). Prisoners and other told volunteers were another queue leader.

Edited May 26, 2019 by kerbiloid

[Spacescifi]

22 minutes ago, kerbiloid said:

1.Plowland area = const.
2.Population grows.
3.Usual ways of utilization of the excessive population (crusades, monasteries, etc) don't work anymore. (East - stopped by Slavs, South - stopped by Muslims, West - too rich to continue domestic wars, especially when all lesser feudals are already under the king's rule).

Once an unprotected potential plowland appears, the only question - who is at the head of the queue.
Religious groups obviously were among the first volunteers (less tied to the old land of sin, more organized). Prisoners and other told volunteers were another queue leader.

Such factors I do not doubt were involved with european exploration and colonization.

Yet for scifi creation, I use god, glory, and gold as I define them for a template for humanity since it is helpful.

Aliens I usually take for granted that they also have those same desires, since who wants to read about a person who does not attempt to solve or answer what is currently impossible? Who wants to read about a person who does not desire to be liked by others? Who wants to read about a person who does not desire to profit by beneficial experiences or things? No one, because the only person that fits such a description perfectly that is real is a corpse.

Humans want to relate to their fictional aliens. I just make them different than your average person so they can still pass for alien in how they behave.

[kerbiloid]

16 minutes ago, Spacescifi said:

Aliens I usually take for granted that they also have those same desires, since who wants to read about a person who does not attempt to solve or answer what is currently impossible? Who wants to read about a person who does not desire to be liked by others? Who wants to read about a person who does not desire to profit by beneficial experiences or things? No one, because the only person that fits such a description perfectly that is real is a corpse.

These are stories of individuals, not of societies.
One romantic individual to be read about requires thousands of dumb, selfish colleagues as an economical substrate and as a background to shine on it.
Otherwise it's a skirmish in poetry club.

Civilizations have intellect of amoeba, and similar emotions.

Edited May 26, 2019 by kerbiloid

[Guest]

If we occupy different ecological niches, sure thing

22 hours ago, kerbiloid said:

Civilizations have intellect of amoeba, and similar emotions.

also, stop

[kerbiloid]

19 minutes ago, Aperture Science said:

stop

Stop what?
Civilizations are not individuals, all "best" and "worst" individual intentions are dissolevd in the grey mass of the "average".
Millions of individuals have opposite particular interests, so a civilization has some average values of any.
So, a civilisation just expands and follows some basic instincts, nothing more.

[Guest]

Just now, kerbiloid said:

quote

oh, ok, sorry

I thought you were taking the "civilization bad, humanity dumb" route and it looks like I was wrong, move along then