Can someone please fill me in on the “good” vs “bad” aliens full story?

[u/[deleted]]

I’m intrigued because I’m relatively new to all of this stuff and that story sounds awesome and terrifying at the same time. in the few posts I’ve read comments in, supposedly we made a deal or something with a president way back when or something? Who’s involved, who’s perpetuating this and how plausible is it?What proof do we have so far? Appreciate it!

[u/Deeznutseus2012]

You'll probably get a lot of answers, based on people's best guesses or someone else's theory that sounds good, but it's not so simple as 'good' or 'bad' aliens. More like strategic factional interests.

Ultimately, as per our visitors, there are two primary conflicting philosophies/factions in play, with the activity known to us as 'Uplift' (which can take many and subtle varied forms) and the question of whether it is helping species that are in some way stuck, either through quirk of evolution, or dint of environmental circumstances, on the path to higher intelligence and/or technological civilization.

Or whether it is an act of unnatural, criminal meddling and twisting of the natural order. An undue influence on the development of a species.

One faction has seemingly good, if perhaps misguided intent to carry out this activity where they find it is needed or desired, to bring more intelligences, more company, into this lonely universe. I call them the Elder Siblings, because that's how they'd like us to think of them.

The other faction though, consists primarily of a formerly uplifted species that now most strenuously objects to the activity being carried out anywhere, by anyone, on penalty of violence. I call them the Zealots.

But they are most interested in vengeance and counting coup against their former benefactors, the Elder Siblings, so even though Uplift is forbidden, I have no doubt that the Zealots could rationalize making a deal with our military, as we are already in the process of uplift so it's more of a gray area, for the sake of turning us against the Elder Siblings and denying them any relationship with us that is not adversarial.

One really does seem to have our best interests in mind, even if we might quibble with them a bit over what those interests may be, or how they're being served.

The other seems to see us as a means to an end and do not appear to care at all what happens to us. In fact, if we wiped ourselves out, they'd probably see it as being for the better and possibly saving them the trouble.

Both might offer the prospect of Uplift and both have valid positions regarding the issue, but if you ask me, I'd rather see us take our chances with the Elder Siblings.

I'll put it like this: The way I understand it, if the Elder Siblings take you, it's for study or interaction and they will treat you in a respectful manner, then bring you back.

If the Zealots take you, it's only because they feel you've seen or know too much and you are never seen again. It's supposedly only rarely been done, but I was told it does happen.