My deep dive into alien civilizations changed my perspective on first contact narratives

Honestly, I think most sci-fi gets first contact scenarios all wrong by making them too peaceful. Tbh, the lack of genuine cultural shock undermines the drama. Any thoughts on this or examples that do it better?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_jordan1mo ago

My buddy got obsessed with this one book where the aliens communicated through chemical smells humans couldn't even perceive. Said it made him realize we'd probably offend them just by existing, like sweating wrong. Totally ruined the friendly alien trope for him.

tara7751mo agoMost Upvoted

@the_jordan, that anecdote taps into a deeper issue in how we envision first contact, always assuming our senses and social norms are universal. Most sci-fi portrays aliens as either hostile or benevolent based on human-like interactions, ignoring fundamental biological differences. It reminds me of historical encounters where cultures clashed over unintentional offenses, like gestures or personal space. We're projecting our own framework onto beings that might operate on entirely different principles, which could blind us to real opportunities or threats.

faithmurray1mo ago

Yikes, our pheromones alone could start interstellar wars.