You have probably noticed, as I have, that western fiction containing aliens often plays with the old “We come in peace” subterfuge. False because, of course, we all know from the beginning that the invaders will be horrible, nasty, creatures bent on enslaving (and/or eating, interior decorating with, organ harvesting from, farming for pelts, eradicating, experimenting upon) the human species. Aliens bad; earthlings good. It’s simple and obvious.
Except for that little part where we also all know from the beginning that humans are flawed, damaged, and often horrible and nasty, even to each other. There’s a little earworm that plays a constant repeating loop of the first line of that song ‘I Fall to Pieces’ with a cheerily cruel ironic tone when I think about how people tend to interact with each other, especially when we become obsessed with our differences and forget we’re related.
I’m more than a little suspicious that if aliens ever do show up openly on our planetary doorstep, we’ll be far too busy tripping over ourselves and each other, and mucking up our own existence, to be bothered with figuring out whether the extraterrestrials are in fact here to harm or help us. Might as well be the latter, or they’re better off sitting back on their alien haunches with snacks and watching from the comfort of their spaceship windows while we bicker like fools and self-destruct without any help from them. I, of course, will be hiding in a closet with my wallet and most prized electronics clutched to my chest to protect them through the invasion for use in my privileged position after the overthrow of the world rightfully makes me the aliens’ designated deity.
Art-Colored Glasses 
I bow down to you:) Have a wonderful Thanksgiving – with all sorts of new beginning on the horizon…janet. xxx
No need to curtsey—hop up here on the dais with me and be my fellow empress. 😀
Have been thinking about you and hoping all is well….and that you are managing to enjoy the holiday season…janet. xx
I hope you’ve had a lovely holiday season yourself, my dear! Ours, despite the hectic lead-in, was quiet and mellow by design. Hiding out at our new place, only partly surrounded by still-unsettled furnishings, but without work or social commitments we couldn’t minimize was absolutely ideal this year.
xoxo!
I have been thinking about you a great deal….and so the move has been made – Bravo!:) Enjoy this time of settling in and getting used to all things new…very exciting….it bodes a new year filled with good things and of course much creativity. Janet. xxx
If aliens invade on this November holiday, we can fight back with Tanks giving ’em hell.
Must’ve worked! I’ve seen nary an antenna or Conehead since you wrote. Whew!
This was a really interesting piece. I feel the same way about aliens, they would not have much use or respect for us as we are. We are not ready for contact, even though I think we need some intervention.
“Some” is putting it mildly, isn’t it! We are one twisted bunch.
I, however, must confess that I’m equally divided on the interior, being both a pessimistic cynic of the deepest hue and a ridiculously Pollyanna idealist of the fluffiest variety, and not necessarily at separate times! Art, for one thing, gives me hope. The drive to continue creating ‘pointless’ beauty and drama in the face of it all speaks to me of higher and more benevolent forces at work in our midst even now.
It’s not lost on me that the first thing driven underground by tyrants and antagonists is art of any kind, and the first thing to break out of Hades as those oppressors lose the slightest of their steam is—yep—art. Singing in the dark isn’t just a metaphor but a necessity for survival, methinks. Though of course I’ll be mighty surprised when the voice next to me does turn out, in daylight, to be an alien’s…. 😉
I would agree we need a lot, but would we accept it? I know we wouldn’t right now, at least a certain segment of our population would not.
I also consider myself a cynic and pessimist as well. I have been told by many people, including physicians and therapists, that attitude is the wrong one to have. I like to tell them after they say that, “Okay I will change that to, realist”.
In this society with everything falling apart around us, it’s hard to paint a rosy picture. You would have to be be blind, deaf and ignorant. Maybe I am too harsh, we’ll say, naieve. Do they really believe, what they are saying, and that it helps?
I think most people don’t take the time or have the time to even think about these major issues, even if they are impacted by them.
I know that the seeds of a movement are being planted now.I only hope that it can grow and spread. I would say it started with Occupy, maybe even with Madison, WI.
Those of us who are concerned, are going to be the ones that change the attitudes and the future, through our actions and education.
I also have that contradictive side to me, being an idealist, which I get from the spirit of like minded people.
I know there are people out there that share the same concerns, and that is where I get my idealism from.
I have tried to have conversations with friends and family, they seem to be in the dark. I don’t know what, if anything will open their eyes.
I believe that is the hardest part, having to have relationships with people that seem so unconcerned.
I believe the arts are an important and vital form of expression. It is one thing that we can always depend on to shed some light and sanity on the world around us. Their voices and works inspire.
I would welcome the arrival of aliens, but I must stop myself from wishing for that, when I read Sagan’s Pale Blue Dot. He says, “there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves?”