# ET calls. Should we call back?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/et-calls-should-we-call-back/565510>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [December 27, 2010, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/et-calls-should-we-call-back/565510 "2010-12-27T13:39:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/et-calls-should-we-call-back/565510/1 "2010-12-27T13:39:15Z")

</div>

Based on an [FT](http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6c4a7cc6-0ee3-11e0-9ec3-00144feabdc0.html#axzz19JiQRGG6) article on 50 years of SETI .(Registration may be required to read it).

Should we remain silent?Only governments should contact?

Possible to avoid a free-for-all?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/et-calls-should-we-call-back/565510/2 "2010-12-27T15:41:57Z")

</div>

Silent all the way. We have no means of evaluating alien motives and goals; in that light, practicing the art of [How Not To Be Seen](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltmMJntSfQI) is the only reasonable option.