Reasons an alien civilization would have to uplift humanity?

[Speaknoevil]

History teaches us when a superior more advanced society contacts a inferior less advanced one, it did not turn out well for the lesser one.

There is no precedent in human history for interacting with a spacefaring, post FTL species that has corresponding cultural and social development.

[Mifuyne]

Maybe they'd need smarter slaves to work in their galactic McDonalds.
Good 'ol dumb regular human ain't smart enough for battling in the galactic foodwars.

Maybe they do it because intelligent life is a rarity in the vastness of Space.

Then they see how we got some crazy orange fatty as our leader and make a u-turn.

[Mirishka]

LOL!, still believing in aliens in 2018.

LOL!, still believing that only 1 planet out of billions has life of it in 2018.

[Zmaniac17]

The Human species is resilient, relentless and ambitious. We make great soldiers, scientists and explorers. There is an innate drive in our species to push the boundaries on what we have. Both good and bad.

If we are ever uplifted, it'll be because they need soldiers. I will probably guess it'll be along the lines of we keep what we conquer for the species we help.

Humanity as an interstellar civilization will be one of relentless expansion and boundless ambition.

It's not hard to imagine that any species capable of traveling the universe would not consider us any of those things in comparison to themselves.

We are actually quite ill suited to doing anything but living on earth in pretty specific climates. It took us thousands of years to reach our current tech level.

And even though our technology has advanced fairly well it could likely have been much better if we were even marginally smarter and more rational. In fact the genetic difference between humans and chimps is only 1%. When considering the average persons knowledge and abilities are extremely specialized, we are only really useful in very large groups.

As far as ambition goes, I find it impressive how little most people move outside of their comfort zone without extreme conditions forcing them to do so. Granted the world generally is good at providing such conditions and that has been our saving grace for better or for worse. Without the right conditions we will never make it off Earth and become an interstellar species.

Becoming an interstellar species also requires that we leave behind our humanity and basically become either genetically engineered versions of human or robots. Space travel takes a long time.

[shadowmouse]

It is possible that they might take pity on our inability to bleem our flmurpheng. Then again, they are aliens, so who knows what their thought process and values are.

[Soeroah]

Either altruism, which sounds very unlikely, or conquest, which would be the more likely event.

An alien civilization greater than our own could destroy us, or they could pretend to be our friends, giving us new tech that improves our ability to trade and contribute to their own society, and they'll know all the weaknesses/could put in code and the like that lets them manipulate our tech going forward.

It'd be like giving a computer to someone who hasn't used one before, but unknown to them you've programmed it to sent you a copy of everything they type or look up. An alien civilization giving us star ship tech is cool and all, but who's to say they wouldn't be making a gesture that seems altruistic while it actually helps them undermine our independence?

[Speaknoevil]

Either altruism, which sounds very unlikely, or conquest, which would be the more likely event.

There is little reason for conquest for a civilization that is post FTL level technology, unless they believed the conquest was altruistic and they were doing us a favor by putting us under their government, religion or ideology.

[Solarflash]

Any practical reasons an alien civilization would want to culturally, technologically or even genetically uplift humanity in a theoretical first contact?

The only practical reason I can think of would be an extraterrestrial civilization wanting to indebt humanity in the event of a planetary wide destruction or war that would require military aid from humans.
@Connal @X Amadeus X @Yvaelle

Probably because they also believe in Jesus Christ, and believe the Lord sent them here to help us. What would you guys think if the aliens were christian?

[Utinil]

We have tried to culturally uplift some non-humans (.i.e. Kanzi, Koko) but we've never pushed it to a genetic level for potential ethical reasons.

A common perception and trope with first contact is that we would be technologically upgraded or enlightened in some way and integrated into a greater galactic body. But what would be the practical reasons for this?

There is a huge difference between trying to uplift animals and trying to uplift humans. That difference is the ability to ask questions. None of the Apes that have been taught sign language has ever tried to ask a question in order to learn. They have asked for things, but never how, why, or even who on their own. They absolutely try to figure things out, but behave in a way that suggests the attitude of, "if I don't know it, nobody else can." Humans are driven by these questions and that should, in theory, make it easier for Humans to learn from a species millions of years more advanced than us, than it is for us to raise apes a little bit.

As far as, why would a species uplift us. The only answers that make sense are religious (to help all God's creations and/or convert us), curiosity (can we do it), if we did not pose as competition for them, or a truly altruistic attitude. The fact that we might not be competition would be my guess for most likely. I personally believe we are as likely to discover life on a planet as hot as Venus or as cold as Pluto (yes I know it isn't technically a planet any more) as we are to find life based around liquid water. So, if we are so far behind in tech that we couldn't hurt them and we aren't fighting for livable planets, there would be no benefit to us not being taught and always the small benefit of the possibility that we discover something useful if they do teach us.

[Hooked]

If you put together all of the continents, the deserts seem like nothing but ancient sawdust. Were the aliens already here a long time ago?

[TheDestinatus]

With the way this planet/society is going any alien race out there, would have put a massive exclusion zone around earth..

It wouldn't be a massive exclusion zone, it wouldn't need to extend beyond the moon. We can't leave this planet.

[Deleted]

Maybe the alien will upplift hummanity becuse they want be benevolent.

Maybe the alien think killing is morally wrong, but want peace (no violent barbarians who attack our colonies) hence have to upplift hummanity past the "war-phase"

Maybe the alien think they gain by upplift hummanity, now they will use Orion political/economic system insted of Nebulan political/economic system, hence we the Orion will get a politically allied in the galactic counsel and our merchants will have a advantage over the Nebulan merchants.

Maybe the alien are so powerfull that all this upplift is a joke... two drunk aliens, let see who can upplift most races in one unit of time.

[endersblade]

To hasten our inevitable self annihilation.

[ranzino]

Probably because they also believe in Jesus Christ, and believe the Lord sent them here to help us. What would you guys think if the aliens were christian?

call them stupid ?

[Deleted]

Pure and utter boredom.

Space is vast, it is so mindbogglingly big that crossing just our galaxy at light speed takes a 100.000 years, and in the grand scheme of things that is to be considered a drop in the ocean. Traveling over distances like this would either take a very long time or they'd had to be very technologically advanced. So if it takes them an enormous amount of time i'd imagine they'd be delighted to finally meet us and try to make the best of us as they can. They could try to enslave us, but having to enslave us with their limited numbers will be hard. Or they are so advanced they really have nothing better to do then help us and make a television show or something out of it for their entertainment/education. Hell, it could even be some alien graduating social experiment on this point, the class of 756 512 455 graduating project to save earth.

In the end the only resource that the earth has that other planets do not is life. Everything else can be gathered on other planets as well, probably with more ease as you would be able to on earth. Why would you want to get resources from the one place that offers resistance when you can get the same stuff without all the hassle that is called life? What reason would an alien life form have to cut through humans, forests and wildlife in order to get something like water or gold or whatever the fuck they wanted when they can get all of that stuff right on the next planet or even our moon without having to deal with our bullshit?

So i think that if they do get here they have come because of the life that is here. And when you go somewhere to study the life there and take samples and shit then it would be counter productive for them to first kill off the majority of us. It would be more in their interest to preserve the life that is here and help us do just that.

[FeedsOnDevTears]

Any practical reasons an alien civilization would want to culturally, technologically or even genetically uplift humanity in a theoretical first contact?

The only practical reason I can think of would be an extraterrestrial civilization wanting to indebt humanity in the event of a planetary wide destruction or war that would require military aid from humans.

Maybe go ask Elon Musk?

After all, it seems like that's what he's doing.

[Fencers]

None? Or just the fact we are the most advanced of the animals already here so perhaps they might have less work to uplift humans than like, spiders. But really who the fuck knows.

[Theodarzna]

Any practical reasons an alien civilization would want to culturally, technologically or even genetically uplift humanity in a theoretical first contact?

The only practical reason I can think of would be an extraterrestrial civilization wanting to indebt humanity in the event of a planetary wide destruction or war that would require military aid from humans.
@Connal @X Amadeus X @Yvaelle

Objectively, none unless we would occupy some role in their economy much as chickens, dogs, cats and other pets occupy in our lives.

Humans would only be "uplifted" if we could serve some function to whatever desired need or want they have. Outside of that, there is no reason to do so unless they needed a biped with incredible pain tolerance and endurance.

[Delana]

We have to uplift most non-first world countries first and the only way to do that is by getting rid of artificial borders. Space is the only border at the moment.

So we will then

1.) Deny the rest of the world their own journey.
2.) Deny ANYONE any sort of independence.
3.) Destroy regional cultures, and thus human cultural diversity.
4.) Leave humanity vulnerable to a global tyrant.


You really should think this through more before you kill us all with "kindness".

[ranzino]

So we will then

1.) Deny the rest of the world their own journey.
2.) Deny ANYONE any sort of independence.
3.) Destroy regional cultures, and thus human cultural diversity.
4.) Leave humanity vulnerable to a global tyrant.


You really should think this through more before you kill us all with "kindness".

to the universe and space travel the knowledge of, for example, swiss yodeling is very unimportant. so what ? think in larger scales here