An Alien Perspective

Imagine you wake up tomorrow to the news that a small number of alien spacecraft have appeared over Earth. Communication is established with the alien visitors – they wish to trade resources including providing us with new technologies. Most world leaders respond cautiously, while the US military responds by attacking one of the craft who retaliate with a weapon that incinerates everyone on the attacking aircraft and ships.

The aliens reinforce and amend their message – we are here to trade peacefully but we will defend ourselves.

Governments around the world respond in different ways – some actively engage in trade with the aliens swapping resources such as minerals, fibres and even waste plastic for alien materials and technology. Some curious leaders even travel to the alien home planet and to other planets in their empire. Some countries withdraw from any interactions at all.

More alien ships arrive and trade with the aliens grows, as does the number of aliens. Some begin to settle on Earth. Humans are accidentally exposed to an alien virus and 20% of the human population dies.

The aliens prefer warm temperatures so as more arrive centres of trade form in Australia, Hawaii, North Africa, and the Mediterranean. These areas become high crime areas as aliens, who have developed a liking for human alcohol, commit violent and sexual crimes against humans. There are even rumours of aliens hunting humans for sport in the Australian Outback.

The United Nations petitions the governing council of the alien empire for help in controlling their citizens and in response they dispatch a diplomatic team. On arriving on Earth they propose a treaty between Earth and the Empire to make sure that alien traders and settlers behave lawfully. The treaty ensures that humans will be protected from unlawful behaviour of alien citizens, ensures that humans maintain collective ownership of Earth’s resources, and will be treated equally as empire citizens.

As more aliens arrive and they need places to live, different interpretations of the treaty emerge. The aliens claim the use of the moon, Antarctica and South American forests given that humanity does really “use” them. Some countries object but the advanced alien weapons and the deaths of millions who fight back soon quells opposition.

Some human leaders who have aligned with the aliens are given access to alien weapons and use them to settle “old” conflicts. Mexico invades the USA and annexing Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. Ukraine annexes territory from Russia, while other territories change hands around the world as human groups gain access to alien weapons.

After several decades the number of aliens surpasses those of humanity, partly helped by the deaths of millions of humans through disease and war. Humans are pushed out of areas with rich resources and into increasingly smaller areas of ownership. An alien governing body is established on Earth and decides that to help humanity and our somewhat “savage” behaviours that they will introduce schools where only the alien language will be used, taught as part of the alien religion. All human medical treatments are replaced with alien medical treatments. Human doctors, priests and teachers are imprisoned if they teach or practice their professions.

Most humans don’t do as well as aliens in their schools so are largely given menial jobs in the new alien economy. Alien medical technology looks good on the surface but humans are receive poorer treatment and over time human lifespans shrink on average by a decade.

As time progresses humans push back against their being disadvantaged and their loss of land, and some fairer-minded aliens begin to understand and support them. Some human positions are introduced in governing bodies but in such small numbers that they are often outvoted on initiatives that could improve things for humankind. Still they keep pushing for improved rights and over time some land is returned – Antarctica, now largely stripped of minerals, for example. Monetary compensation is provided for other areas – although at about 5% of the estimated value of the actual resources. Human languages are permitted to be spoken again, and although some have died out, there is a resurgence in the use of those that remain.

As time continues to progress, some humans adapt well to the alien education system and manage to gain senior roles in the alien economy and government which helps further the rights of humans.

As time progresses, and the rights of humans continue to improve the Earth/alien governing body now made up of 10% humans considers two new initiatives:

1)     Setting up a separate medical system for humans – largely run by humans

2)     That all committees and groups making decisions about use of Earth’s resources include at least two humans in their membership.

While some of the alien population support these initiatives others disagree. After all these initiatives are undemocratic, surely one medical system should work for everyone; and surely all members of decision-making bodies should be voted onto them. And anyway, before we arrived the humans were constantly warring amongst themselves and enslaving each other. Their languages and technologies were primitive and whole continents were starving while others were dying of diseases of excess – imagine how bad things would be for them if we had arrived to save them!

Sounds reasonable doesn’t it?

Author's Note

I offer this story as an opportunity to take on a perspective that is alien to many of us - that of a colonised indigenous people. It is loosely based on the colonisation of New Zealand but aspects will be common to the colonisation of other countries as well.

As initiatives are proposed in New Zealand such as a separate health system for Māori and Māori representation on decision making bodies, I see the arguments I describe in my story - that it isn't democratic, or that Māori were "better off" for colonisation, or that let's just forget the past and move on. In the place of a colonised indigenous person, could you just move on?

I also want to add that this story is not about guilt or shame for descendants of colonising groups. We should only ever feel guilt for our own actions, not those of our forebears. It IS about exploring a perspective that is probably new for many of us.

I hope that it provokes a new perspective for some of those who read it. Feel free to share this if you found it of value.