What traits of humanity are you proud of?

[Camacha]

A Sense Of Morality

Let us assume this alien species is like they are in most fiction: Cold, ruthless, following what can only be described as 'Perfect Logic'. For example, the logical thing to do with tiny, primitive planet Earth is to enslave its most advanced species. And they do just that.

Our sense of morality does as much harm as good. Most wars have started over this and horrible atrocities have been commited in the name of <insert whatever cause>. I would consider this a factor that - at best - changes us and not really improves us.

[Sirrobert]

At first I was going to laugh, but then I realized we have a few things to be proud of.

A Sense Of Morality

Let us assume this alien species is like they are in most fiction: Cold, ruthless, following what can only be described as 'Perfect Logic'. For example, the logical thing to do with tiny, primitive planet Earth is to enslave its most advanced species. And they do just that.

But we humans don't like that. While it may be logical, we humans realize that it is inherently wrong, and we resist. Why is this? On matters like this, humans don't follow their mind. They follow their heart. That is a very good thing.

Actually that's one of the most illogical things I always found about alien invasion storys.

Nomather how super advanced your alien is, we have weapons that can kill virtually everything (nukes).

There is not much to gain by invading this planet that you can't easier get by mining asteroids, where you don't have to subject your very expencive spaceships to the risk of death by nuclear fire.

I consider it to be the same thing.

That rather depends on what other mammals you compare us too

We are the only truely bipedal creature on this planet. That means we are the only creature on this planet that is designed for long distance walking.

It hardly takes us any more energy to walk, than it takes to stand still.

We are also the only creature in the world that employs persuit hunting (folowing your prey until it dies of exhaustion). If it was just a matter of willpower, don't you think more animals would have done it?

Cause it's pritty damn efficient

[Camacha]

If it was just a matter of willpower, don't you think more animals would have done it?

I never said it is pure willpower. And I guess that pulling stunts like that will change your fysiology in the long run too.

Cause it's pritty damn efficient

Actually, it is not efficient at all. The energy expended to run all the way after prey and then back again is considerable. A lot more than, for instance, a crocodile making a strike.

[Vanamonde]

Actually that's one of the most illogical things I always found about alien invasion storys.

Check The Alien Years, by Robert Silverberg. The only aliens-invade-earth story that actually makes sense.

[9911MU51C]

I think the strength of a humans hope is good. Other animals come close, like say a loyal dog relentlessly attacking someone who is hurting their owner, but humans top that.

The way emotions drive us give us a strong survival advantage. We can achieve extreme stress in short bursts driven by emotional hormones, like feeling rage or pride or love. Sure not all humans are the same but I'm speaking in general here.

[Alchemist]

I'd say ingenuity - our ability to invent solution to even most crazy problems. That's what is driving us forward, without it nothing else would matter - we wouldn't go past cavemen stage (or maybe even reach it) without the ability to invent new tools. The only problem is that not everybody has this ability to the same level - there are too many people who not only just lack the ability and/or desire to understand how the world works, but also are extremely to the ones that are smarter, perceiving them as a threat.

As for the driving force, i think that there are multiple interchangeable cases: aggression, greed, competitiveness, curiosity, altruism... What we really use is up to us, but there is the difference: great minds are mostly driven by curiosity and altruistic desire to make something great for the world (even when an engineer invents a weapon, he usually does it for the safety of his hand, not to destroy someone specific), but the general population is easily driven by aggression.

Now, what I hate is that some people want to keep the population as dumb, ignorant and aggressive to everything different as possible, just because this way it's easy to control by primitive desires and agitation. It's not like we couldn't live without aggression, it's just the extreme stability of aggression-driven systems.

[Camacha]

Agression-driven systems are not stable, they just seem to be. Look at Irak - there was a lid on the pressure cooker that kept things a bit in check in the form of an oppressive regime, but the slightest puncture of that lid can lead to an explosion. I would not really call that stable - its more like an explosion that just did not happen yet.

[Diche Bach]

Imagination. It is the spark of humanity and all else depends on it.

[Mitchz95]

Resourcefulness and determination are the ones that immediately come into mind. Self-sacrifice as well; a lot of people give their lives for the greater good every day.