"In the last two years, more than 20 planets have been identified outside our solar system that seem to be far enough away from their suns and dense enough that they might be able to support some form of life. ...It may be the only way to unite us in this incredibly divided world of ours. If they’re out there, we better think of how all the differences among people on Earth would seem small if we felt threatened by a space invader."—Former President Bill Clinton, on the Jimmy Kimmel show last night.
That's a nice thought, I guess? But if the universal threat of climate change hasn't united us, I sincerely doubt that the threat of a space invader would.
I imagine it would polarize in a similar way as any other social issue. Half the population would be urging caution and restraint: "Let's at least try to establish whether these aliens even want to harm us, or if they're maybe going to introduce us to the greatest technologies we've ever experienced, before we make any rash decisions." And the other half of the population would be screaming: "KILL IT WITH DEATH LASERS!"
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