by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner
While it definitely would put a pep in my step if First Contact happened because the U.S. Government shutdown what it thought was a Chinese spy balloon over Alaska, I find the entire idea very, very dubious. So, to that extent, what I’m writing at this very moment is a huge waste of time.
But, lulz, I have a little spare time on my hands, let’s waste time and imagine what the consequences of First Contact might be in this situation.
First, I would note that America is so divided that I can’t even have a jovial conversation about this dumb story with my Traditionalist relatives because the story would inevitably pivot a pitched rhetorical battle over Biden not shooting down the first balloon. It’s all very sad.
Anyway, what makes this particular incident different is there is wreckage to inspect. So, theoretically, once we have an opportunity to examine that wreckage we will know one way or another what the fuck was shot down. Now, if it was of non-terrestrial origin, the natural inclination of the U.S. Government would be to classify the whole thing and act like nothing happened.
So, if there was anything of note about the object shot down out of the ordinary, then the U.S. Government would be in something of a sticky wicket. If they classify everything — for any reason — then a thousand conspiracies are born. Meanwhile, if they tell what really happened — if it is not human — we face a rather abrupt First Contact.
The reason why this particular situation would be different is it wouldn’t be an abstract — there would be actual evidence that aliens have the technology to traverse the vast expanse of space to reach earth. The implications of that would definitely be a Day The Earth Stood Still moment.
The idea that not only are we Not Alone, but aliens have the technology to reach the humanity would be staggering.
Of course, if we learned that the balloon was actually some sort of alien probe, the wreckage would instantly be the most valuable in human history and there would be calls to turn it over to the UN (or whatever.) Then you have a huge battle over Who Owns It and who Gets To Study It.
I have my doubts that there would be any violence if we did have First Contact. And I suspect that instead of unifying humanity, we’re probably just going to be even more divided as different powers demand look at the wreckage.
In other words, everything sucks.
I will note, however, that I have a feeling that given all the weird things we’re learning (with no explanation) about what’s going on in skies around the globe. It’s at least possible that some sort of ETs are doing regular looky-loos of humanity, we just haven’t managed to shoot them down.
