Comment by FutureKnower on My current thoughts on the risks from SETI · 2022-03-16T06:16:55.751Z · LW · GW

I think there are merits to the view that alien contact could be positive in the short and medium term.

In the short and medium term, the human species-organization is close to destroying itself through war and climate change. It is likely that an alien species capable of contacting us would have an interest in preserving the human species for their own scientific/medical projects.

In the long-term, an extended encounter with another intelligent species/extraterrestrial organization seems more risky, but can be taken as a chance for the structure of human societies to evolve so that the human tendency to self-destruct is moderated/reduced.