4 ms·

And what if we broadcast and whomever hears us wants us dead? Maybe it’s so quiet because to be loud results in death of the entire civilization.

yreg 4y ago
If you are an advanced civ that fears new competition, you don't wait for hearing random radio transmissions. You build replicating factories to build relativistic kill missiles and preemptively destroy all the planets in the galaxy.
- krapp 4y ago
  Given that planets currently exist in our galaxy, either no advanced civilizations exist that fear competition or... apparently not?
  - yreg 4y ago
    Yep, I think it makes little sense for them to fear competition (if they exist). I suspect that intergalactic warfare is impractical and there is nothing to gain. Reasons being: There is no stealth in space, there is no FTL, resources are abundant everywhere, destroying planets/megastructures is rather easy.
- withinboredom 4y ago
  Hmm maybe. If anything, I don’t think it would be killing for competition. Killing a planet is “easy” if you can expend the energy. The risk of accidentally offending another civilization is much easier, offending them to the point of them wanting to wipe you out isn’t that much harder (see Earth History). Thus, it almost makes sense to just wipe out any civilization preemptively.
alfiedotwtf 4y ago
If an advanced civilisation was so advanced that it could hop around the galaxy on a whim, why would they come here to destroy us? It's not like the would possibly need any of our resources
- yyyk 4y ago
  It's not difficult to think of realistic (if not necessarily sensible) motivations if we try. Maybe they're religious fanatics and there's no we can satisfy their tenants so.. Or maybe the local alien boss doesn't want to deal with their EPA equivalent and decides to deal with the problem before anyone notices. Or the Grand Poobah just acts whimsically and everyone must do as it says.

yreg 4y ago

If you are an advanced civ that fears new competition, you don't wait for hearing random radio transmissions. You build replicating factories to build relativistic kill missiles and preemptively destroy all the planets in the galaxy.

krapp 4y ago
Given that planets currently exist in our galaxy, either no advanced civilizations exist that fear competition or... apparently not?
- yreg 4y ago
  Yep, I think it makes little sense for them to fear competition (if they exist). I suspect that intergalactic warfare is impractical and there is nothing to gain. Reasons being: There is no stealth in space, there is no FTL, resources are abundant everywhere, destroying planets/megastructures is rather easy.
withinboredom 4y ago
Hmm maybe. If anything, I don’t think it would be killing for competition. Killing a planet is “easy” if you can expend the energy. The risk of accidentally offending another civilization is much easier, offending them to the point of them wanting to wipe you out isn’t that much harder (see Earth History). Thus, it almost makes sense to just wipe out any civilization preemptively.

alfiedotwtf 4y ago

If an advanced civilisation was so advanced that it could hop around the galaxy on a whim, why would they come here to destroy us? It's not like the would possibly need any of our resources

yyyk 4y ago
It's not difficult to think of realistic (if not necessarily sensible) motivations if we try. Maybe they're religious fanatics and there's no we can satisfy their tenants so.. Or maybe the local alien boss doesn't want to deal with their EPA equivalent and decides to deal with the problem before anyone notices. Or the Grand Poobah just acts whimsically and everyone must do as it says.