[FeistyOtter]

There is a very deep soviet science-fiction novel by brothers Arkady and Boris Strugatsky: Roadside Picnic. It is relatively unknown in western world, which is very sad since in Russia it is considered one of the pinnacles of Soviet-Russian science fiction works. The plot is as follows:

One day, several strange zones appeared in the world, on a line that extends to a star Deneb. The brave 'stalkers' found all sorts of strange and miraculous objects there - artefacts (some people will remember a popular russian game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. with similar things): they can kill and they can cure, but what we do know that the civilization that left them exists on an unfathomable scientific level to us and we can not even start to comprehend them, these objects are like magic to us.

And these strange zones, these strange objects were just a waste to this civilization. They just traveled through the cosmos and did not even notice us when they dumped them, like we, humans, do not notice ants that crawl under our feet while we take a picnic near a road.

[narrator]

I read that book. It was the most deeply pessimistic sci-fi book I have ever read. Lots and lots of smoking and drinking too. I liked it though.

[Jetroid]

I've always loved this book. I still remember the phrase "HAPPINESS FOR EVERYBODY, FREE, AND LET NO ONE LEAVE UNSATISFIED!" to this day.

I think it presents an incredibly realistic view of an ETI visiting this planet, especially if life is common in the universe. They don't come for us; hey are just passing through.

I have to wonder, realistically, how modern governments would respond to such a visitation.