How would we communicate with early man?

[boulders and sticks]

I was wondering if we had the ability to go back in time and communicate with our ancestors thousands or even millions of years ago, how would we do it without completley freaking them out? How would they even handle anything that Alien to them?
This thought came to me in light of all the speculation of visitors to our time. From here or afar, whichever.
Lets suppose they meant us no harm, but as their observations continued they wanted to communicate with us. I would guess they would be far ahead of us technologically wise and maybe face the sane problem we would have with early man?
John.
PS.
This is the main reason I think exopolotics is a bit silly.

 

[THX1138]

An interesting question, to be sure. It seems to me that without a common frame of reference, the processes of effective communication between disparate sentient beings would be severely compounded.

On the other hand, if you were a representative of this hypothetical, "technologically" advanced race, do you think that it would be, at all, "wise" to attempt "communication" with the war-mongering inhabitants of the "Planet of the Apes?"

The only way that inter-special shock could be avoided is to assimilate into the culture/species with which you're attempting communication. The basis of the Christian faith holds that God already tried this, and just look how his boy turned out! :frown:

P.S. "Exopolitics" aren't just "silly," they're bullshit.

 

[Drew UK]

This has been done before, rel. recently.

Moderate, Enslave and Assimilate.

But the problem with this is that early man and us, is essentially the same and has not really changed to an extent that gives any revelation on this topic.

One insight could be made into how ancient civilizations regarded the importance of precious metals very lowly, whereas an "advanced - developed" civilization regarded them as prinicipal necessities. Encorporated into the advanced civilization was the "desire to grow" - which was reflected in demand for rarity and currency - which gold and silver could supply (in a modern economic model).

Through ever advancing technology a point though must be reached where the development of resources makes everything valueless. So maybe, "knowledge and technology" - rather than markets/commodities and currency is the new growth model that holds civilisations together in an advanced civilization - hence no need to materially interact.

 

[boulders and sticks]

This has been done before, rel. recently.

Moderate, Enslave and Assimilate.

But the problem with this is that early man and us, is essentially the same and has not really changed to an extent that gives any revelation on this topic.

One insight could be made into how ancient civilizations regarded the importance of precious metals very lowly, whereas an "advanced - developed" civilization regarded them as prinicipal necessities. Encorporated into the advanced civilization was the "desire to grow" - which was reflected in demand for rarity and currency - which gold and silver could supply (in a modern economic model).

Through ever advancing technology a point though must be reached where the development of resources makes everything valueless. So maybe, "knowledge and technology" - rather than markets/commodities and currency is the new growth model that holds civilisations together in an advanced civilization - hence no need to materially interact.

But the question was how would we communicate?
I was just pointing out that we have probably lost the ability to communicate with early man on a level that would not frighten the crap out of them. Of course we have advanced through the age's in many ways, some good, some not so good. That very advancement would in of itself be very frightening to a being from long ago.
So i think that would hold true for some other being trying to communicate with us. We would be scared out of our minds, maybe to the point of denying it ever happened.
I'm not sure were you are going with the economic model thingy you spoke about.
Also the need to communicate is dependent on your perspective.
Do I want or need to?
John.

 

[Jose Collado]

I'll pull out a lighter and yell "worship me"

 

[Xylo]

I'm guessing it depends upon the level of communication one desires.

I would think that outsiders would be greeted with either violence, suspicion but rarely with open arms. Therefore, I would think that any sort of communication would have to be preceded by a large amount of gifts, or trade items of an unusual nature.

So the first communications would be rudimentary in nature, with trade as a basis, in my non-professional opinion.

 

[boulders and sticks]

I'm guessing it depends upon the level of communication one desires.

I would think that outsiders would be greeted with either violence, suspicion but rarely with open arms. Therefore, I would think that any sort of communication would have to be preceded by a large amount of gifts, or trade items of an unusual nature.

So the first communications would be rudimentary in nature, with trade as a basis, in my non-professional opinion.

I was thinking that our very presence would be a difficult part of the problem. Before anything like trade could take place. How would we handle the very first contact?
John.

 

[KEROUAC]

Powerpoint presentation.

Sorry couldn't resist but is is a good question and the parallels with how visitors from our future would communicate with us is an interesting one. I've heard a suggestion from the famous oriental quantum physics guy (sorry can't think of his name) that crop circles could be a cummunication from our future.

 

[Kieran]

Powerpoint presentation.

Sorry couldn't resist but is is a good question and the parallels with how visitors from our future would communicate with us is an interesting one. I've heard a suggestion from the famous oriental quantum physics guy (sorry can't think of his name) that crop circles could be a cummunication from our future.

I Think, there is a least one group in the UFO Phenomenon, that is human and least, something that seems to be human in my opinion. Now, i don't discount other lifeforms either physical or of spirit form or other.I Have my own theories to the origins of this seemly humanoid beings. But, i don't dismiss,that they are from our future, or that they come from worlds beside us, or that they could be from planets near us or further away in the Universe.It an interesting theory, that future beings either us or something else is doing crop circles. Anything is possible, but for what purpose nobody understands the symbols made. If we don't understand them, what is the point of the communication with crop circles.

 

[Xylo]

I was thinking that our very presence would be a difficult part of the problem. Before anything like trade could take place. How would we handle the very first contact?
John.

There's a few ways I could think of doing it...

First we could present ourselves as gods, invincible and powerful...then attempt conversation with the "elders."

We could ply them with valuable resources: blankets, food, fire...

We could visit often enough, keeping the societies under observation, always staying just out of reach that we pique the interest of the natives...so that finally when we decide to officially make contact the inhabitants are much more curious about them and we have the upper hand.

That's my take on the "how."

 

[dusty]

John get a copy of Childhoods End by Arthur C. Clarke,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childhood's_End

It's been years since I read it but I like the idea of an Alien race just showing up over major cities and not saying anything for a while. It makes sense to me that this might be a good tactic by being very obvious to all at once, and then when the dust begins to settle they make contact.
I realise I'm talking Sci fi here and should really post this on "The Attack of the Rockoids", yes it has been a while, sorry Gene thanks for the birthday wishes btw,.

By making their presence known in such an overt manner, it would obviously create mayhem everywhere I'm sure, but I would at least like to think that if no agressive intention was displayed by them, and if we could steal our nerves and not attack, which btw I dont think is a given. I do believe it more than possible to make contact without the world coming to an end.

I realise this may sound a bit naive and sort of wishful thinking, but with regard to the reactions of those in power and who have a finger on the trigger down here. I am sure that they would be every bit as frightened, awe struck, and confused as all of us. Like us though I think they would be every bit as curious and fascinated.
If such a dramatic event ever took place, STOP and think about how much of what you expect to happen is just a minds eye rerun of something you've seen in a movie.

Great question though I'm enjoying thinking further.

Mark

 

[Ezechiel]

Lets suppose they meant us no harm, but as their observations continued they wanted to communicate with us. I would guess they would be far ahead of us technologically wise and maybe face the sane problem we would have with early man?
John.
PS.
This is the main reason I think exopolotics is a bit silly.

Exopolitics is valid only for races close to us technologically. Why would you want to speak to chimpanzees ? Exopolitics assumes there is a 'star wars'-like galactic structure out there where intelligent carbon-based life has evolved at more or less the same pace for everybody.

IMHO, big mistake.

 

[boulders and sticks]

Exopolitics is valid only for races close to us technologically. Why would you want to speak to chimpanzees ? Exopolitics assumes there is a 'star wars'-like galactic structure out there where intelligent carbon-based life has evolved at more or less the same pace for everybody.

IMHO, big mistake.

From our point of veiw speaking to a chimpanzee may not have any benefit at all. But that's only from our point of veiw.
I'm sure there have been plenty of studys of life forms by us that have no obvious benefits I could think of and I am Human.
So we could be studyed and observed by another being for an infinite number of reasons, some of which may not make any sense to us.
Just a thought.
John.

 

[Ezechiel]

From our point of veiw speaking to a chimpanzee may not have any benefit at all. But that's only from our point of veiw.
I'm sure there have been plenty of studys of life forms by us that have no obvious benefits I could think of and I am Human.
So we could be studyed and observed by another being for an infinite number of reasons, some of which may not make any sense to us.
Just a thought.
John.

You might want to add 'farming'.

Old saying... one man's garbage is another's gold.

 

[aNorthernSoul]

Well for starters, I would assume communication with early man would require a lot of hand gestures...