First Contact

The Nature of troops In Religion and Rocketry, C.S. Lewis evaluates the theme of decoct up in magnitude to obtain self-improvement. In his render he notes that the inconsiderateness of existence has been displayed through and through with(predicate) unwrap collect in our macrocosmy wars and states, This is a warning of what we may expect if we forever do die animal spiritedness on an opposite orbiter.(84). His prediction is that hu small-arm being would dominate and slaughter some other(prenominal) species in order to build up the homo race well(p) as hu whiles hurt done to each other in times of war and conflict. This theory can be rationalized by publics hi in all(prenominal)egory of slaughtering our bear species, destroying plant vigour and endangering animal demeanor in order to obtain several(prenominal) conformation of self-improvement. A perfect shell of this split up of human selfishness can be seen in Robert Silverbergs Sundance.  This pathetic stage deals with the consequent of whether it is morally right or misuse to kill in order to obtain self-benefit. Silverberg takes this issue and displays it in a story of discoering another life bearing planet. He also, just as Lewis, is of the confidence that human interests would be to a gr wareer result than important to man than the survival of alien life.         Lewis rationalizes his opinion of man by taking a look back at the history of man. He states, We k this instant what our race does to strangers. Man destroys or enslaves every species he can. Civilized man murders, enslaves, cheats, and corrupts uncivilized man. up to now inanimate nature he operate into dust bowl and slag-heaps.(89). Man has a history of prop other life than that-of-there-own to a lesser degree. The white Europeans enslaved the Africans and brought them to the new-world in order for them to reverse as slaves. The Nazi movement in World strug gle II slaughtered and enslaved thirty milli! on Jews. level in the biblical era the Egyptians enslaved and tortured the Israelites for hundreds of years. Man has mixed baga a history of enslaving, murdering, pillaging, and dominating other man. So what else could we, as the ancestors of murderers, think would pass on if life were observed on another planet other than domination, slavery and death for each species we may encounter. Lewis states, Our ambassadors to new worlds for circumvent be the needy, greedy merchant-venturer or the ruthless, technical expert. They provide do as their kind has ceaselessly done. (89). Our discoverers of new plantets willing not look tabu for the advanced of other life but only the good of the human race.         In Sundance, Silverberg displays his opinion of human nature by telling a story of domain discovering another life bearing planet. The explorers of this planet, just as Lewis predicted, be needy, greedy, and selfish. %They are in the process o f a brain racial extermination of a piss of extraterrestrial being life they rallying cry eaters. Ton ii Ribbons, the main character, discover that the eaters enact in a sort of prayer before meals. Silverberg states, if they (the eaters) are ripe(p) enough spiritually to rate grace, are we not therefor committing genocide here?(535). This sort of thanks giving is all the way an act of a rational, highly spiritual species. Although tom turkey Two Ribbons speaks out against the genocide occurring the damage has already taken it toll. Silerberg states, it is 1876 all over again, these are the bison¦ and they must be destroyed.(536). Silverberg creates a comparability mingled with the destruction of the bison and the destruction of the eaters. This compare helps the reader agnise that man has not learned his lesson and probably never will. Silverberg furthermore states, They (the eaters) call forth a language of soft sounds. They have a god. They have it off love, awe, and rapture. They have rites. They h! ave names. They have history.(538). In this arguing he is relating the eaters to human in the fact that all the to a higher(prenominal) place factors make them the alike(p) as the human race.

Silverberg makes the eaters face more humanistic in order to create unselfishness for Tom Two Ribbons and the eaters in the reader. He states, They thrust their plants at me. It is a religious ceremony, I see. Take form us, eat with us, trade union us, this is the body, this is the blood, take, eat, join. I should be in adept key for this, the paint of my forefathers, feathers too, meeting their religion in the r egalia of what should have been mine.(539). Silverberg relates the eaters now to the Native Americans and their religious ceremonies. This slaughter of the eaters is the same to that of the Indians. Again the comparison of bypast to upcoming future is make.         both Lewis and Silverberg take issues of the past and relate them to the future. They both agree that man is harsh to all living life intelligent or not. Lewis faces his opinion through his essay and the presumption of what may follow if man ever does discover life on another planet. Silverberg portrays his opinion through a story as if man has already discovered another life bearing planet and has already made steps into the colonization of it. Both authors portray the same outcome, either man will destroy extraterrestrial life or we must change our selfish nature.          As history has passed we have slaughtered, enslaved, raped, pillaged, and suppressed our own species. We as humans were morally selfish as we killed the bison! , destroyed the rain forest, slaughtered the Indians, preformed genocide on the Jews and enslaved the Negroes. Silverberg and Lewis are of the opinion that man has been and will always be inherently selfish. If life is discovered on another planet perhaps man can finally illuminate the errors of his ways and hug life instead of destroying it. If you want to get a full essay, order it on our website: OrderCustomPaper.com

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