In a short story by Arthur C. Clarke, a lawyer advises an astronaut on how to conduct himself: basically, do not take any aggressive action even if attacked! That gives the other side the chance to say, "Our representative on the spot acted wrongly!" Anything to avoid long term conflict - but not anything to deny the reality of long term conflict if that is what eventuates. There are good reasons to think that conflict should not happen but we will have to see what does happen. Suppose we meet real life counterparts of Klingons, kzinti, Merseians - or men? (And don't assume that alternative men must be warlike. They might be peaceful.)
Hence this dialogue in Poul Anderson's Planet Of No Return, Chapter 7:
"'Stand by. Keep them covered, but don't shoot till I say so. That's an order. No matter what happens, don't shoot till I tell you to.'
"'Efen if dey open up on us?'
"'Yes.'" (p. 48)
2 comments:
Paul:
Keith Laumer wrote satirical stories about interstellar diplomacy. Most diplomats of the Corps Diplomatique Terrestrienne were described in such terms as "deviously sincere, uncompromisingly venal, fearlessly cowardly." (In contrast, the main character might have gotten along quite well with Dominic Flandry.) One story features a senior bureaucrat noting that in response to aliens ambushing and EATING a party of Terran explorers, the CDT should've immediately apologized. "...[I]t might have been a nice gesture to have expressed hope that the survey teams were not unpalatable."
Kaor, DAVID and Paul!
David: MY reaction would have been to send an expedition to demand redress, up to and including the threat of FORCE, if that was practical! And any bureaucrat who behaved like the one you mentioned should be eaten himself!
Paul: I think any real world first contact with non human rational beings or aliens should be conducted with a mix of both caution and hope. We should be open to friendly relations with aliens while also guarding against the possibility of them being hostile.
Sean
Post a Comment