Re: Human aggression in space

On Wed, 30 Sep 1998 16:33:22 -0600 (MDT), Chen-Song Qin
<cqin@ee.ualberta.ca>
wrote:

>I always wonder about the authors who think humans would be aggressive
>compared to other alien species...  How many other species have they
met?
>In human history at least, aggression and greed tend to be linked with
>large scale journeys of discovery and conquest. 

Several million, actually. Most fall into one (or both) of two camps:

1) procreate enough so that they can afford to lose an acceptable number
of
the herd/pack/hive/whatever;
2) eat #1.

However, you have to understand that science fiction is rarely, if ever,
about
what WILL happen. It's usually (at least since the mid 60s) used as a
metaphor. Considering that our war waging abilities have put us on the
brink
of annihilation, and that our greed may very well denude the planet,
it's a
little early to be saying that we've got the right stuff to get to
space.

I think that's where those authors are coming from, that our way of
warfare
over co-operation is likely to kill us off rather than make us stronger.

On the other hand, every species on the planet is food or eats other
species.
I doubt if it's MUCH different on other planets. A species adept at
killing
for survival's sake might make out like a bandit in space. And there
have been
plenty of books on that subject, too.

I can see intelligent herbivore species that fight by leaving "scorched
earth"
planets behind them as they run from an enemy. It's an interesting
thought, if
not a very good one for a space combat wargame.

>So you can know what kind
>of aliens would be travelling out there.  Humans might be viewed as
silly
>naive beings who think aggression and greed are bad things...

Yep. Or so dangerous and unpredictable that nuking the Earth from orbit
is the
only way to be sure... Look at the Aliens movies for instance. As nasty
as
that critter is (could you imagine what must have to EAT that thing in
order
for the population to balance out?), it was humans that wanted to
cultivate
it... What's more dangerous?

Allan Goodall	       agoodall@sympatico.ca

"We come into the world and take our chances
 Fate is just the weight of circumstances
 That's the way that Lady Luck dances
 Roll the bones." - N. Peart