Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by stasomatic 14 days ago
No downvote from me, but - Aren't the undiscovered ones just different colored insects or jellyfish? I mean, it's a cool job if you get paid for it to discover new things that can kill us fast in the Amazon. I think we can leave them alone to do their thing and concentrate on team Human. Money better spent.

I'd be terrified to meet an alien. Very much doubt they'd be attractive purple skinned humanoids like in the STNG. But they are welcome to discover us if they are so advanced, why do we need to sweat, we aren 't done with this rock yet? Thank the universe and light years it's never gonna happen.
1 comments
palata 13 days ago
> Aren't the undiscovered ones just different colored insects or jellyfish?

I was answering to someone saying that they would dream of seeing animals from another planet. Pretty sure that they (like everybody else) cannot list 0.01% of the insects out there.

If one is interested in animals, there is more to discover on Earth than what they can realistically do in their whole life. Being interested in alien animals feels like "I don't actually care about animals, but I find the idea cool".

link
bluGill 13 days ago
Problem is I'm not interested in insects. A new leader species of large mammal would interest me. Even discovering dinosaurs aren't extinct is neat but not something I'd care about.
link
palata 13 days ago
It sounds to me like saying "I don't really care about football except the finals of the world cup. I wish we discovered alien football, that would interest me".

I get the point, but it sounds like you just don't care about football in the first place.

link
bluGill 13 days ago
There are people who care about football (soccer in the USA), and chear at all the home games even when the team is clearly going to lose every game this season. Then those who go to games when the team is winning. Then those who start going when it is clear the team will make the playoffs. Finally those who don't care and never go.

The above can be repeated for every other sport. I know someone not interested in the soccer world cup despite it being the most talked about event in the US now - but they are at the local kids lacrosse games (not a common sport in the US). I'm like that, I'm very interested in another cat if one is found, but I don't care about another insect. I'm not against you caring, it just isn't me.

link