How about the environmentally concerned people already out there in their boats? Surely this is a much better use of their time/resources than attacking fishing and whaling vessels.
Sigh. The point of the list is not so much about generalizing your generation as it is reminding those of us who are older that your generation has not lived through the same historical changes ours have and will not see the world in the same way we do. It's to help us remember that your worldview is often different from ours and we can't expect you to see things the same way. Various generations have had different experiences and will see things differently - that's just the way it is. The reason this list is put out is because those of us in the older generations want to be able to communicate better with people who have a much different historical perspective and worldview that we can't readily identify with. Is that what you're objecting to?
Basically, there is no way to distinguish a god from a sufficiently advanced alien because a god would have to manifest himself (or herself) in some physical manifestation.
A very similar point is made in the book Flatland, where a three-dimensional being interacts with two-dimensional beings who don't have a concept of the third dimension, and in the Stargate TV series. Aliens, however, ultimately prove themselves limited in some way because they have a finite perception of/interaction with the physical universe since they are in fact inside/part of it.
As a nit pic, Angels would be aliens for all intents and purposes, as would God.
I am an atheist, so don't construe this as defending someone imaginary man in the sky, or Santa Clause.
I dunno . . . I think it depends on your concept of the universe. I would think beings from another planet within the physical universe would be aliens, while beings from outside of (apart from, however you want to put it) the physical universe would be something else.
Not only undercover, but try following a cop car or beat cop around with a camcorder. I bet it doesn't take more than a few minutes before you're questioned and told to stop...and when you don't listen I'd give about even odds you're arrested, detained, or have some other right violated.
I imagine if I followed any average person around town with a camcorder they'd tell me to stop, then call the cops if I didn't. Especially if I was posting comments about how hot they were and pictures of their house - where their family lives.
In breaking with Star Trek Canon, we discovered this before the whales went extinct.
Well of course we did. You just haven't seen the articles about the strange group touring the lab right before they discovered it or the mysterious disappearance of two humpback whales right in front of a whaling ship (they blamed the events on PETA's new prototype). PETA, on their side, insists they do not have a large aircraft capable of cloaking and uncloaking out protecting whales.
But what if some alien civilization more intelligent than us needs a million human lives to save one of theirs?... fair?
And what? They're going to look at us and say, "Hmm, they experiment on each other to save less intelligent creatures - let's leave them alone and go experiment on the creatures on Planet 473 instead"? It's not like we grade rats for their kindness and care of other rats or cockroaches before we experiment on them - or poison the wild ones living in our crawlspaces.
I don't see a problem with killing people bent on genocide of intelligent species.
You are certainly free to hold that belief. However, said whaling people are also free to hold the belief that they should defend themselves against the people who believe they should be killed.
Habit. It's so much easier to give up the cigarettes than the self destruct system for my Fortress of Doom(TM). I mean, when you've already got the lava cascading down one wall and the contractor says "For another 10k I can make the whole place go up in smoke if anything - unfortunate - happens," it's so darn easy to say "And I want fireworks to go off, displaying a taunting message for the hero, too!"
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Buy our products and we won't smash your kneecaps.
Not to mention the shoggoths.
Japan doesn't need an orbital laser cannon for world domination; they control the production and supply of manga.
Those kinds of activities are for the birds.
Where's the Japanese Miracle when you need it?
How about the environmentally concerned people already out there in their boats? Surely this is a much better use of their time/resources than attacking fishing and whaling vessels.
heh
Looked more like a Puma to me...
Are you makin' up imaginary animals again?
Ohhhh. Now I get it. D'oh! Thank you, I was very confused as to what all these aliens were doing in the plot of The Last Air Bender.
because that was quite funny.
Sigh. The point of the list is not so much about generalizing your generation as it is reminding those of us who are older that your generation has not lived through the same historical changes ours have and will not see the world in the same way we do. It's to help us remember that your worldview is often different from ours and we can't expect you to see things the same way. Various generations have had different experiences and will see things differently - that's just the way it is. The reason this list is put out is because those of us in the older generations want to be able to communicate better with people who have a much different historical perspective and worldview that we can't readily identify with. Is that what you're objecting to?
It's a weapon, +4 to music slaying, +2 to virgin slaying, +10 to eardrum slaying. Successful attack requires target to roll saving throw for will.
Are you sure it's not a saving throw for Fortitude?
Basically, there is no way to distinguish a god from a sufficiently advanced alien because a god would have to manifest himself (or herself) in some physical manifestation.
A very similar point is made in the book Flatland, where a three-dimensional being interacts with two-dimensional beings who don't have a concept of the third dimension, and in the Stargate TV series. Aliens, however, ultimately prove themselves limited in some way because they have a finite perception of/interaction with the physical universe since they are in fact inside/part of it.
As a nit pic, Angels would be aliens for all intents and purposes, as would God.
I am an atheist, so don't construe this as defending someone imaginary man in the sky, or Santa Clause.
I dunno . . . I think it depends on your concept of the universe. I would think beings from another planet within the physical universe would be aliens, while beings from outside of (apart from, however you want to put it) the physical universe would be something else.
Not only undercover, but try following a cop car or beat cop around with a camcorder. I bet it doesn't take more than a few minutes before you're questioned and told to stop...and when you don't listen I'd give about even odds you're arrested, detained, or have some other right violated.
I imagine if I followed any average person around town with a camcorder they'd tell me to stop, then call the cops if I didn't. Especially if I was posting comments about how hot they were and pictures of their house - where their family lives.
And if you told that to the kids today . . .
In breaking with Star Trek Canon, we discovered this before the whales went extinct.
Well of course we did. You just haven't seen the articles about the strange group touring the lab right before they discovered it or the mysterious disappearance of two humpback whales right in front of a whaling ship (they blamed the events on PETA's new prototype). PETA, on their side, insists they do not have a large aircraft capable of cloaking and uncloaking out protecting whales.
This fits just fine with the Canon.
But what if some alien civilization more intelligent than us needs a million human lives to save one of theirs?... fair?
And what? They're going to look at us and say, "Hmm, they experiment on each other to save less intelligent creatures - let's leave them alone and go experiment on the creatures on Planet 473 instead"? It's not like we grade rats for their kindness and care of other rats or cockroaches before we experiment on them - or poison the wild ones living in our crawlspaces.
I don't see a problem with killing people bent on genocide of intelligent species.
You are certainly free to hold that belief. However, said whaling people are also free to hold the belief that they should defend themselves against the people who believe they should be killed.
to Reach out and touchpad someone.
nuh UHH! Check my UID loser... I am in the sixdigit club!
We have a club? Sweet! Will my Geek Card let me hang out there? /.
Oh wait . . . this is
Hey, I downloaded a couple of movies about that!
The basic plot and methods used to fight off the ants are almost identical. The MacGyver episode is based on the short story.
Habit. It's so much easier to give up the cigarettes than the self destruct system for my Fortress of Doom(TM). I mean, when you've already got the lava cascading down one wall and the contractor says "For another 10k I can make the whole place go up in smoke if anything - unfortunate - happens," it's so darn easy to say "And I want fireworks to go off, displaying a taunting message for the hero, too!"
Celebrate Purim?