I’d be on the verge of panic. But not because of the aliens. But, because, ironically of the possibility of others panicing about the aliens and thereby creating a situation worthy of panicing about.
I felt the same way about Y2K.
If we could get rid of all these panicy people I wouldnt have anything to be panicy about 
Tonight on “Alien Top Chef”: Zontar asks for volunteers!
Not necessarily. His reaction might be- “Well, it’s Tribulation time. Better stock up food, run to that cabin in the woods & hold out for Jesus.”
I’d be pretty much there with him! L
Extra-terrestrials are taking our jobs!
I think people would freak.
FWIW, I was playing the Worst Case Scenario game this weekend, and amongst all the questions about the statistics of plane crashes and how to escape quicksand, my husband got a question about how to fight an extraterrestrial.
I’d panic.
If they got here, that means their technology is orders of magnitude superior to ours. If their intentions are noble, then peace & brotherhood & all that.
If their intentions are bad, we’re screwed.
There’s no real reason for them to be hostile. Assuming that they are advanced enough to master two-way interstellar travel, they’d almost certainly have mastered robotics and genetic engineering, so it’s not like they’d want to enslave us.
The Independence Day “they want our resources” idea is silly - what have we got on Earth that can’t be obtained far more cheaply from a comet, asteroid, or gas giant?
I, for one, welcome our delicious hypothetical overlords, especially topped with fruit.
Really? Seems to me that after decades of movies where aliens invade the earth, people WOULD panic.
Seriously, some people would panic and some people would welcome them. Which ones are the nutcases depends on if the aliens start shooting or not.
There have also been decades of movies and TV shows (ie., Star Trek) where not only do they not invade, they’re extremely benevolent.
Think about it this way: assuming there are lots of aliens out there within reasonable travel times (ie., at relativistic speeds or warp speeds or whatever they’ve got), it’s more likely that the ones that find us will be the peaceful explorer kind than the grumpy imperialistic kind, right?
Actually, I guess there could be a grumpy explorer kind who’d simply capture lots of us to keep in zoos and dissect in college classrooms and so on.
I think it depend largely on what we specifically knew about them. If we knew they existed, the chances are we’d know something more about them than that they exist. We’d probably at least have an inkling of their intentions and abilities. There’s a chance it might be very reasonable to panic.
If they presnted themselves as amicable and benign, I think people would be more curious than anything else. There would still be a gamut of reactions from terror to outright adoration (maybe even worship), but I think the vast middle would tend towards gobsmacked fascination more than fear.
The major religions would have some ret-conning to do.
“One day, in Tellytubbie Land, it was Bootsy’s turn to wear the dress.”
That was also for if the aliens had just arrived. I, fo one, might feel very different about it if they have been visiting us for a while, were behind abductions & cattle mutilations, or were involved with our governments in any way.
I’d be much more guarded, much less open arms.
Umm, did we watch the same Star Trek? The one with the Klingons, Borg, Salt Vampires, that type of thing?
Yeah, but none of them made contact with us when we were planetbound and helpless. Well, except in First Contact, but that doesn’t count.
Salt Vampires?
I am sorry sir…you must now turn in your Star Trek nerd membership card…lack of such knowledge is a revoking offense.
Why? They’d only be acting with what seemed to be the blessings of our representative authorities. I’d be more inclined to aim blame at our governments than the aliens.
I agree it largely depends on what we discover. Right now if we found living microbes on Mars it would be exciting, but not jump off buildings exciting. Likewise if we found radio signals that seemed purposeful, but undecipherable and not aimed specifically at Earth, no jumping off buildings or anything. If the signals are coming from a pulsar or quasar a million light years away, I’m not wetting my pants. I would jump up and down though.
OTOH, if we found radio signals originating 30 light years away aimed and modulated specifically for us and including details on how to greatly improve communication, that would be freaky.
“Sir, you need to turn down your radio. What are you, a first-time caller?”
Women. Hot, sweet women.
I’m panicking preemptively.
…and how do *you *feel about people who willingly work with government? Me, I always feel like I need a wash after I’ve spoken with a pol.