Star Trek provides some of the finest examples of science fiction, illustrating what the initial contact between different alien civilizations might be like and how it ought to be approached. While we’ve looked to Star Trek’s depiction of first contact as a model in scientific discussions, history has demonstrated that explorers don’t consistently adhere to such protocols.
As a human race, you may not be adequately prepared for this momentous occasion. It’s crucial that the entire world speaks with a unified voice when engaging with any advanced civilizations that may seek to establish contact with us.
I write these words having witnessed an encounter with another species not too distant from your own star system. Although they have made remarkable strides in social development, their technological progress lags somewhat behind yours. Nonetheless, they have succeeded in unifying as a single species, and our ‘first contact’ team determined that they were ready for us to initiate contact.
This was not always the case. Similar to humanity, they once had various states and social structures locked in perpetual conflict. Wars were waged, and social struggles were frequent. Yet, on the brink of a catastrophe that threatened their entire planet, they concluded that inaction was too dreadful an alternative. Somehow, their social fabric, akin to your own, managed to endure and transcend their profound differences. Not long after that pivotal moment, we established contact, leading to cultural and technological exchanges.
As they venture beyond their own star system, they too will encounter other species, but they will do so as a united world. They still retain distinct social structures, but they are met with respect rather than scorn or disregard. Not everyone welcomed this change, but all recognized its significance, not only for their species’ survival but also for their expansion beyond their homeworld.
Humanity faces a similar question, and I hold the optimistic belief that your day will come. Before that moment arrives, however, you must address the challenges that your own world presents. Your planet is a precious one, and I hope for the opportunity to walk openly upon it when my people are permitted to visit.
With a shared purpose, humanity will one day venture out into the cosmos, making your own introduction to the galaxy. Your own “first contact”.
Pangeaverse 