What would be the perfect representative of earth look like?

[Genius of Physics]

What would be the "perfect" representative of Earth look like?

This is more of a poll.
I think it would be fun to know who would we choose.
If we could meet with aliens who do you think we would send and i do not want to be offensive for anyone if yes than I am very sorry

man/woman

religious/non religious

asian/african/european...

sportsman/scientist/politician
and so on

This is if we all could decide so give your opinion on the candidate characteristic.

thx
this is lame but
i suggest myself hehehe

 

[physics girl phd]

Someone who wouldn't be able to say or do anything to show how stupid we still are as a species... we should have sent terri schiavo out in a cryogenic space-pod! (Boy am a glad that fiasco is over. Of course -- maybe the aliens would just fix a vegetable up and then he/she would open up and be stupid again.)

In my opinion, we aren't yet ready for contact -- we have enough trouble within species. Of course, that probably will always be the case... and things happen as they happen... that's history for ya.

 

[Robert Mak]

Most of the people would became crazy, when they now that the aliens exist.

 

[BobG]

If you want a person that's most representative of actual humans (vs what we'd like to picture as the ideal human), I'd pick:

woman/religious/asian/farmer

The man/woman choice is almost the flip of a coin. The role in providing a cultural tradition to the children is the biggest factor and those roles aren't universal. I think women might play the more significant role in more cultures than men have.

Religion, spirituality, superstition still play a larger role in human behavior than science and logic. I think the latter two are inspired by the same desire to explain why 'S**t happens', but the first three still dominate for most of the people in the world.

I picked Asian because I think they're more numerous, but that's still kind of vague. I don't think that choice is very significant and didn't put much in depth thought into it.

The choice between farmer and hunter was almost a coin flip. Farmer seemed the better choice because its in between our most primitive cultures and our most advanced cultures. Culturally, I think we're still influenced by great agricultural civilizations.

I almost tossed 'slave' in there as a qualification, since slaves are what enabled most of our earliest great agricultural civilizations.

Another choice would have been sailor, since travel and communications have so much influence on who we are.

 

[Moonbear]

The choice between farmer and hunter was almost a coin flip. Farmer seemed the better choice because its in between our most primitive cultures and our most advanced cultures. Culturally, I think we're still influenced by great agricultural civilizations.

Good call...you don't want your diplomats coming home with a new trophy for the wall!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I vote for Jodie Foster.

 

[Cyrus]

George W Bush.

 

[Evo]

Definitely not religious or political.

No celebrities/athletes/mimes.

 

[BobG]

Definitely not religious or political.

No celebrities/athletes/mimes.

No mimes?

How about human statues?

Or how about the human statues that stand motionless just until someone comes up for a closer inspection awed by how lifelike the statue is? (Hmmm, maybe not a good idea if the aliens were armed.)

 

[Moonbear]

I don't know, mimes might be best, especially for overcoming language barriers. Of course, then the alien diplomats will show up to all the parties with gifts of white face paint for the hosts, and we'll have to avoid offending them by promptly applying it to show how much the gift is appreciated... Okay, no mimes.

 

[JasonRox]

We will look stupid regardless of who represents us.

So, let's save ourselves the trouble and not send anyone.

Anyways, BobG has the best criteria so far. Well thought out.

 

[Office_Shredder]

We will look stupid regardless of who represents us.

So, let's save ourselves the trouble and not send anyone.

Anyways, BobG has the best criteria so far. Well thought out.

So your choice of who best to communicate with a race capable of interstellar travel is a farmer?

Right, no culture gap there. I would pick someone from NASA... it would be the only choice that ensures a good starting point in conversation (Hey, what's this doowiggy do?). I wouldn't even pick a physicist because ideas would be harder to trade (if they have different mathematical notation/ideas, perhaps they started with a different set of axioms and use a completely different form of math than us, we wouldn't know), but technology seems like a safe place to start, since we both would be trying to manipulate the same set of rules in the end. Plus, I bet the NASA guy would come back and build some wicked cool stuff for us

 

[hypatia]

I say we send Danger. Of course I hope the alians have a great sense of humor.

 

[twisting_edge]

I'd pick someone truly brain-dead, someone on the verge of a coma.

It never hurts to be underestimated.

 

[Rach3]

Obviously, all earthlings are humans. That's a given.

__________________
"If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can make the world safe for diversity." -John F. Kennedy

"I know that the human being and the fish can coexist peacefully." -George W. Bush

 

[edward]

Obviously, all earthlings are humans. That's a given.

Unless they are here illegally.

 

[physics girl phd]

I'd pick someone truly brain-dead, someone on the verge of a coma.

It never hurts to be underestimated.

Huzzah! Another reason we should have sent out Terri!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Definitely not religious or political.

No celebrities/athletes/mimes.

But Jodie Foster already has experience at this. Now how many people can make that claim?

Absolutely no mimes. Also, no lounge singers.

 

[Evo]

But Jodie Foster already has experience at this. Now how many people can make that claim?

Absolutely no mimes. Also, no lounge singers.

And no performance artists.

We don't want to frighten these people away. But I'm seriously leaning towards what twisting_edge said

I'd pick someone truly brain-dead, someone on the verge of a coma.

It never hurts to be underestimated.

There is great wisdom in those words.

 

[physics girl phd]

Yea! Tally-count of 3 for someone brain-dead!

I'll admit -- I'm keeping count of this vote.

 

[Genius of Physics]

But Jodie Foster already has experience at this. Now how many people can make that claim?

Absolutely no mimes. Also, no lounge singers.

Well i don't think it would be clever to send someone who follows the manuscript cos humans aint, but the coclusion must be a peacefull average woman?
So are you supporting feminism or what? Is that what intelligent people stand for.

Im just kidding on both last subjects.

 

[Volumunox]

i would pick someone calm of nature.

someone with infinite wisdom, a larger perspective of everything, one with a strong will and self control.

 

[Office_Shredder]

Actually, I was thinking we could pick someone with limited experience, a boiling xenophobia, and more than three firearms in his basement

 

[radou]

In order to be a hundred percent politically correct, the perfect earthling representative should be a mixture between black, white and asian. Regarding the religion, he/she should be jewish, christian, muslim and hunduist all at once. Further on, the preson should be gay, or bisexual, but gay is preferred. And now, regarding the gender, well, he/she should be a gender changed person, so you can always say he/she once was a woman/man, if the topic about being sexist because of sending a man/woman instead of a woman/man comes up.

 

[Milo Hobgoblin]

Jenna Jameson..

What alien could possibly want to hurt us after seeing her? :-)

 

[radou]

Jenna Jameson..

What alien could possibly want to hurt us after seeing her? :-)

Might be, but if it were a reverse situation, I'm not sure if I'd like to see what the alien Jenna Jameson looks like.

 

[Andre]

How about a little girl?

 

[twisting_edge]

How about a little girl?

Can we put her in a coma, first?

 

[Danger]

I say we send Danger.

I'd pick someone truly brain-dead, someone on the verge of a coma.

Are these intentionally next to each other?

Can we put her in a coma, first?

 

[SpaceTiger]

Gender - Depends on their culture, but probably female because women are usually less threatening.
Skin color - whatever is closest to that of the aliens
Religion - athiest or agnostic, since most Earth religions are anthropocentric
Sexuality - straight, to minimize confusion surrounding reproduction
Nationality - Irrelevant and shouldn't be discussed with the aliens. We want to appear strong and unified.
Profession - Scientist, probably an astronomer or physicist, since they're the most likely to be familiar with (or at least understand) the things that are familiar to the aliens.

Essentially, we want to appear strong, but as non-threatening and comfortable as possible.