Why would we assume to be special?

In My Humble Opinion
1

This question came up while watching the remake of The day the earth stood still (which is really bad by the way). Without revealing too much, an alien’s opinion of humanity changes because of the ‘beautiful’ way we can interact with each other. This isn’t the first time I’ve seen this kind of thing in Sci-fi (Dr Who, 3rd rock from the sun) and I am really amazed that writers use this kind of argument.

In my opinion there are just as much - if not more - things that humans do to each other that would lead to the opposite conclusion (war, murder, child abuse, domestic violence, blind eye to suffering of others), some of which even concern the people that one should care for the most. I just don’t buy that humanity’s positive sides are that extraordinary that it would tip the balance of all the errible things we do; certainly not to such extent that aliens from more developed places with ‘higher’ standards would be overwhelmed.

thoughts?

2

I think the whole concept is not that the human race’s good points outweigh the bad, but that they give the aliens hope for the species. Much like a child may be a total shit when he’s 3, but he sometimes shares his toys without being forced to do so or he always says “thank you” – so there’s hope that he will grow up to be a good guy. At least, that’s how I’ve always read the way it works. Basically, “yeh, they’re savages now, but they are learning, and capable of learning, so maybe we will give them another millennium to see if they can figure it out.”

3

I’ve had the exact same reaction after watching The Fifth Element and Abyss in quick succession.
Maybe in the end it’s a case of glass half-full. Or rather, a case of hey, at least there’s a drop of water in the dusty, broken glass !