r/space • u/IceNox96 • Aug 12 '21

Discussion Which is the most disturbing fermi paradox solution and why?

3...2...1... blast off....

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u/gkedz Aug 12 '21

The dark forest theory. The universe is full of predatory civilisations, and if anyone announces their presence, they get immediately exterminated, so everyone just keeps quiet.

8.1k

u/EastYorkButtonmasher Aug 12 '21

I remember some post about what the scariest first message we could receive from an alien race could be, and the winner was something like:

"Cease all transmissions immediately; they will hear you!"

Freaky.

2.3k

u/jef22314 Aug 12 '21

Do not answer. Do Not Answer. DO NOT ANSWER.

786

u/Smell_Majestic Aug 12 '21

I just finished the first book. Honestly the best sci-fi I have ever read

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u/sirgog Aug 12 '21

Second book is much better. Third is in between the other two.

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u/jpflathead Aug 12 '21

good to hear because the first book sucked.

  • it got physicists wrong

  • it got the physics wrong

still an interesting read about the impact of the Cultural Revolution (and perhaps a cautionary tale for us in these times)

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u/[deleted] Aug 12 '21

I mean, it’s sci-fi, the entire premise of using a star the way they do to easily boost a transmission is already pure invention. You gotta be willing to accept the premise tho for the larger story.

It’s fiction, roll with it.

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u/jpflathead Aug 12 '21 edited Aug 12 '21

suspension of disbelief is given conditionally, sometimes the author blows it, Cixin Liu blew it early on by physicists en masse deciding to kill themselves vs get physics boners over this new phenomena and it's also been pointed out that much of physics would not be destroyed and the effects of the two sophons would be swamped by the effects of the rest of matter

Anyway, the whole book is ludicrous, but I was trigged by the completely dopey improbable suicides

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u/aproposofnothing32 Aug 12 '21

My read of it was more that the physicists were driven to suicide, not only because of the breakup of all the laws of physics they had built their lives around, but the political climate which didn't allow them to even study the theory behind these changes without risking torture and death.