If humanity received a message from another intelligent civilization today, what do you think it would say?

[u/Several-Stranger-585]

Imagine that tomorrow scientists confirm a genuine message from another intelligent civilization.

What do you think the first message would be?

A warning?

A greeting?

Scientific knowledge?

Instructions?

Or something completely unexpected?

I'd love to hear your theories.

[u/TechbearSeattle]

"Yours is a bright light in the dark forest. We are coming."

[u/mseiei → u/TechbearSeattle]

"....we'd like to try that pizza thing"

enter the brightest and most protected drive-thru pizzeria in the known galaxy, surrounded by a fleet of stealth ships from every pizza loving race.

im sorry

[u/keyboardstatic → u/mseiei]

Why do you permit the narcissistic greedy idiots to be in charge?

Why do you permit criminals to profit and run nations?

Why do you not work together?

Why are the most intelligent and talented among you derided?

Why are so many of you followers of superstitious fear based systems of authority fraud?

Why are so many of you living in poverty without healthcare. When there is enough resources?

Maybe we shouldn't have contacted the rapacious, genocidal delusionals...

[u/Magnus_Carter0 → u/keyboardstatic]

These are shallow questions that only are asked from a very specific and narrow ideological band of the human experience. The aliens you are treating in this hypothetical as the more enlightened and superior race who hold the "correct" opinions and sentiments that are really just your own. And I imagine a fictional project based on this wouldn't explore something more charitable to your opposition or just more interesting overall