Universal Single-Mindedness
There are countless stars out there in the night sky. So many, in fact, that we cannot see them all.
It seems like each time we upgrade our capabilities of seeing smaller and smaller distant objects, the more stars we find that are out there.
And, so we wonder if there is life out there besides ourselves. Are we alone in the universe? Are others out there wondering the same thing? Have any of them visited us?
One of the weakest arguments for why we haven’t met any other denizens of the universe is that space travel would be too costly and not economically feasible for any one to want to leave their planets and explore.
It’s one of those arguments that leave you scratching your head each time you hear it.
They say, with a straight face, that any highly intelligent species would realize that it’s not practical to travel across the galaxy to meet other species. That, apparently, once a civilization is advanced enough, everyone thinks alike. No one questions the group-think. No one steps out of line. They all throw up their arms and say, “Bah! Space travel–who needs it?”
It’s scary that there are people think that way. It sort of implies that any one that doesn’t think “in line” is somehow inferior or less evolved or whatever. It’s as if they believe that diversity of opinion must disappear among enlightened species.
I don’t buy it. And, if it is true, maybe we need to get out there and help free these other species from the shackles of group-think. Teach them the value of individuality.
But, I digress.
At any rate, I cannot imagine that, among any species capable of long-distance space travel, no one ever looks to the night sky, points to a distant star and says, “Let’s go there.” I cannot believe that any advanced civilization would give up its curiosity.
Now, they may feel we are too primitive for them to contact. Maybe they have something akin to a “Prime Directive” in Star Trek. That’s a possibility.
But, to say that advanced civilizations aren’t curious about what’s out there or aren’t going to expend the resources to get out there, I don’t buy it.
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