Coronavirus, Alien Invasions, & Xenophobia

TheMadFool

I recently watched a short video on extraterrestrials (alienss) invading earth and one of the few positives of that, according to a speaker in the video, is it would serve as the best opportunity to unite the world - differences between countries, religions, cultures, etc. would be replaced by a sense of oneness engendered by a commom global threat, the aliens. The speaker then goes on to say that diseases that can become pandemic would be very similar to an alien invasion since the entire globe is under siege if such events occur. The current coronavirus pandemic then should, if the video had a grain of truth in it, serve as uniting force for the world.

However, what's happening is quite the opposite - there are many reports of Xenophobia which drives a wedge between communities, races, nations, etc. - destroying instead of creating unity in the global community. Of course I must acknowledge that many leaders have called for and managed to foster a unified global effort to tackle the current coronavirus pandemic but such noble aspirations suffer serious setbacks once Xenophobia rears its ugly head.

The coronavirus pandemic can verily be likened to an alien invasion for it infects and kills irrespective of race, caste, creed, gender, age, wealth, and anything else that can be construed as a difference among humans. Yet, we've not set these differences aside; far from it there's an atmosphere of distrust and even open hostility among the various nations. Maybe I'm blowing things out of proportion, maybe I'm presenting a lopsided view of the situation but it's hard to miss/ignore a sinner among saints.

Marchesk

The speaker then goes on to say that diseases that can become pandemic would be very similar to an alien invasion since the entire globe is under siege if such events occur. The current coronavirus pandemic then should, if the video had a grain of truth in it, serve as uniting force for the world. — TheMadFool

If that were true, it would have happened already, since this isn't the first pandemic.

TheMadFool

If that were true, it would have happened already, since this isn't the first pandemic. — Marchesk

Indeed, you're right. However, at the small scale it is true that a common threat unites different groups even those previously hostile to each other. Look at how the asian Japanese and european Nazis were on the same side in WW2 - unified by a common threat, the USA. Surely, the idea of uniting against a common foe has some truth in it.

BC

World Unity, alleged to be the result of an alien invasion, wouldn't do us much good because the aliens -- having come from very far away they would thus be more advanced than us. It is possible, I suppose, that they traveled all that way to share the blessings of civilization. More likely they are here for their own benefit, or maybe they didn't intend to land on this god forsaken planet at all and are none to happy about what they have found.

The planet wouldn't unite. Some groups would attempt to ally themselves with the aliens, which others would take as an inherently hostile act. Other groups would attack the alien-lovers and aliens both. A bad time would be had by earthlings, at the very least. How the aliens might fare depends on their technology.

Smallpox, AIDS, polio, Covid-19, McDonalds, Ford, Standard Oil, Christianity, Islam, and other plagues have failed to unite the planet.

BC

at the small scale it is true that a common threat unites different groups — TheMadFool

Or spreads them apart. Note that some people marched on their statehouses with guns to demand their freedom to get infected, while others defended public health measures. Fucking morons.

Outlander

↪Bitter Crank

But did they not? Nothing relinquishes ones ego than being cripplingly ill next to another on the doorsteps of the Great Equalizer that is death. We all eat at McDonalds. Or come together either to get more oil or save the environment.

BC

↪Outlander

Or did they not... what, unite? No, they -- we -- have not united. Not the way idealists would hope for, anyway.

TheMadFool

↪Bitter Crank

Your view on the matter is more realistic, plus the enemy of my enemy is my friend is a shaky foundation to build a healthy relationship on.

Marchesk

↪TheMadFool

Aliens we could potentially unite against in a military fight. A disease is a different matter.

Interesting though that in the War of the Worlds it was disease that stopped the invading Martians.

TheMadFool

Aliens we could potentially unite against in a military fight. A disease is a different matter.

Interesting though that in the War of the Worlds it was disease that stopped the invading Martians. — Marchesk

Yes, that crossed my mind but the disease wasn't all that harmful to humans compared to the alien threat. Isn't that why humans survived to celebrate at the end of the movie?

Marchesk

↪TheMadFool

It was just ordinary bacteria and viruses that did the aliens in. Humans had already gained immunity from all the past deaths.

From the moment the invaders arrived, breathed our air, ate and drank, they were doomed. They were undone, destroyed, after all of man's weapons and devices had failed, by the tiniest creatures that God in his wisdom put upon this earth. By the toll of a billion deaths, man had earned his immunity, his right to survive among this planet's infinite organisms. And that right is ours against all challenges. For neither do men live nor die in vain. — IMDB

Of course Morgan Freemen does the narration at the beginning and end of the Tom Cruise movie.

TheMadFool

Yes, but doesn't it strike you as odd to sing praises about a, well, disease - something we were presumably trying to eradicate before the aliens showed up. Imagine what would've transpired after the aliens died.

Plus, if we could, in a way, make friends with diseases, what does that tell you about human-human friendship?

Marchesk

Yes, but doesn't it strike you as odd to sing praises about a, well, disease - something we were presumably trying to eradicate before the aliens showed up. Imagine what would've transpired after the aliens died. — TheMadFool

We'd come to appreciate the little buggers, and would be happy for Covid-19 getting us ready for the next round of invasion.

Plus, if we could, in a way, make friends with diseases, what does that tell you about human-human friendship? — TheMadFool

Depends on whether you voted for Trump or not, bro.

TheMadFool

We'd come to appreciate the little buggers, and would be happy for Covid-19 getting us ready for the next round of invasion. — Marchesk

You're kidding, right?

Depends on whether you voted for Trump or not, bro. — Marchesk

An isolated case doesn't prove anything.

Anyway, interesting.

Marchesk

You're kidding, right? — TheMadFool

We are talking about alien invasions and Tom Cruise movies, so ...

Same goes with the Trump comment.

TheMadFool

We are talking about alien invasions and Tom Cruise movies, so ...

Same goes with the Trump comment. — Marchesk

I'm kinda in a receptive mood. So ok.

Coronavirus, Alien Invasions, & Xenophobia

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