Individually doing atmospheric analysis for every planet in the galaxy is probably an impossible task for a civilisation confined to a single solar system. Listening for signals is something our civilisation already does. If we discover radio signals from a primitive civilisation in the next star system over there’s a non-zero chance we’d panic and try to wipe them out.
That’s the risk that dark forest theory is talking about. Maybe the threat comes from a civilisation dedicated to wiping out intelligent life that just hasn’t found you yet, maybe it just comes from your nearest neighbor. Maybe there’s no threat at all. The risk of interplanetary war is still too great to turn on a light in the forest and risk a bullet from the dark.
And while knowing this, why do we still not choose to just observe and be as quiet/ non existant as possible?
You see, I myself was conflicted.
On one hand, I can see how repeated frequent personal tragedies of violence can break a person to the point that they hate everyone they see. I can sympathise with that, growing up I was the arbitrary target at school and at home most of the time. It brought me to some really dark places in the past. Things are much better now but it leaves a stain, it lurks.
On the other hand, she was explicitly warned that Trisolarans were looking to conquer a new planet and just flat out ignored it. I get being angry and depressed but willfully stupid in an otherwise smart person is much harder to forgive. I mean, she discovered ETI… become famous? Naaahhhh lets doom everyone because I’m mad at the government.
That scene really stuck with me
Have you read The Locked Tomb series?
No I haven’t read that one. Oddly enough, I’m reading another series - the Silo series by High Howey - that could almost be called that same name! What’s it about? I might have to check it out next.
Space necromancers, memes, lesbians, swords, skulls, gore, ‘one flesh one end’
I’ve been looking for a new series, Ill check out Silo
Haha nice. I can’t say that Silo has anything that crazy, but it’s still with checking out