The Insanity: By Radrook
Oct 27, 2022 19:07:53 GMT -5
Post by Radrook Admin on Oct 27, 2022 19:07:53 GMT -5
The Insanity
The blue skinned, red crested, humanoid father and son, had embarked on an interstellar journey under chemically-induced hibernation. Now, having suddenly been restored to awakened status by the ship’s alarm system, the son was staring mesmerized at Earth through the spherical ship's lard, circular, cockpit window, and wondering why his father was intending to bypass it.
The adolescent alien had always obediently and unquestioningly relegated such decisions to his male progenitor, as protocol demanded, but on this occasion, he desperately needed an explanation. After all, re-stocking on provisions there would make the remainder of their journey easier by providing some psychological respite from the rigors of being cooped up in a spaceship. So as the vessel began slowly swerving aside, and Earth began gradually fading into the distance, he respectfully asked:
“Why don’t we visit that third planet from that yellow star, father?" he said, gesturing casually at the image of Earth on the cockpit bulkhead screen.
"The ship’s sensors indicate that it has water we can drink, air we can breathe, and vegetation we can consume. " he added casually.
"The ship’s sensors indicate that it has water we can drink, air we can breathe, and vegetation we can consume. " he added casually.
Patiently, his father, gazed down at his smaller son, while seeking a way to explain. Of course understood his son’s motives perfectly. He also yearned a brief respite from the rigors of the journey. But unfortunately, a landing on that particular planet had been strictly forbidden.
“We can do without a few things. No visitation is necessitated son.” he responded patiently as they both gazed at the distant Earth displayed on the ship's large, rectangular, viewing- screen.
“Why not father?” the son inquired, hoping to delay the return to the suspended-animation capsule from which he had just recently emerged.
“Simple son," the father replied, "...because our psychologists have classified the resident humanoid creatures there, who proudly refer to themselves as mankind, as being mentally deranged. “
"Mentally deranged?" He had never heard of any other species spoken of in that way before.
“Yes, son, insane! So the planet has been declared off-limits. We only approached because of the navigational malfunction. Nothing more, and have been awakened to rectify it. Once back on course, we resume artificially-induced hibernation.”
The son grimaced involuntarily at the mention of chemically-induced hibernation. He didn’t particularly relish the prospects of lying in a deep and dreamless unconsciousness within a cramped capsule. Besides, being reanimated upon arrival at the destination, would necessitate another struggle with bouts of nausea and vertigo.
“Insane? In what manner, father?" he asked, striving to postpone the unavoidable unpleasantness as long as possible.
“For one," the father responded patiently, "humans frequently slaughter one another when unable to agree. Attaining logical resolutions to controversies, via compromising peacefully, as all other reasoning beings in the galaxy easily do, seems extremely difficult for them."
“But why?” the alien son asked, gazing up quizzically at his tall, lanky father with his large, oblique, yellow eyes.
"Because of their inherent inability to control their emotions, son." his father responded
"You see son, our explanatory psychologists have discovered, that unlike other reasoning creatures who reach decisions based firmly on logic, humans employ reasoning only in support of their decisions, and their decisions, are always based on strong emotions, such as envy, jealousy, anger, disgust, hatred, pride, or rage. So compromise comes very difficult for them. What does come, very easily, son, is mutual hatred and mutual slaughter which predominates in their history.”
"You see son, our explanatory psychologists have discovered, that unlike other reasoning creatures who reach decisions based firmly on logic, humans employ reasoning only in support of their decisions, and their decisions, are always based on strong emotions, such as envy, jealousy, anger, disgust, hatred, pride, or rage. So compromise comes very difficult for them. What does come, very easily, son, is mutual hatred and mutual slaughter which predominates in their history.”
“Slaughtering one another? Over what, father?”
“Over many ridiculous things son, such as religious disagreements, ownership of land, the meanings of words, or concerning body language that might be perceived as offensive. They even occasionally savage one another over vehicle stationing locations. So isolating them in order to avoid serious complications has been deemed best.”
The son pensively pondered his father's explanation for a while before continuing.
The son pensively pondered his father's explanation for a while before continuing.
"But why cannot we land in some isolated location?" the son said, while pointing a long blue index finger at areas on Earth's night-side that lacked the telltale artificial lights of civilization.
After heaving a tired sigh, his father placed a blue four-fingered hand on his son's narrow, bony, shoulder, and proceeded to explain patiently:
After heaving a tired sigh, his father placed a blue four-fingered hand on his son's narrow, bony, shoulder, and proceeded to explain patiently:
“Not possible son. Please observe those hundreds of machines orbiting their planet?" the extraterrestrial father pointed at the holographic image of earth displayed on hovering rectangular screen above the ship's black marbled console.
"They are an integral part of a planetary defensive system, designed to track and report all approaching objects because they morbidly fear a surprise attack from one another. If we approach unidentified, they will attempt to destroy us. Or else, they might irrationally commence launching missiles at each other believing that it a surprise attack from another Earthian enemy”
"They are an integral part of a planetary defensive system, designed to track and report all approaching objects because they morbidly fear a surprise attack from one another. If we approach unidentified, they will attempt to destroy us. Or else, they might irrationally commence launching missiles at each other believing that it a surprise attack from another Earthian enemy”
“Then why don’t we simply reveal ourselves. Tell them who we are from a safe distance? Explain that we come in peace. That we mean them absolutely no harm?” the son responded in a pleading voice.
“Simple son! Once more, their infernal, inherent insanity is an insurmountable obstacle.”
“Inherent insanity?” the son asked quizzically as he rubbed the back of his bald blue head with the purple palm of his blue hand. After all, the young alien had never heard any other creature in the galaxy described in that negative manner. In fact, the concept of insanity was rarely mentioned at all, and only certain adults were privy to the knowledge of a planet called Earth where such a quaint psychological phenomenon was inherently rampant.
Gazing languidly at his son, with an expression of patient, paternal understanding on his blue humanoid countenance, the extraterrestrial father continued.
Gazing languidly at his son, with an expression of patient, paternal understanding on his blue humanoid countenance, the extraterrestrial father continued.
“Yes son, they perceive anything from another world as a serious threat. In fact, many humans imagine us to be evil invisible creatures they refer to as demons, and would fervently petition the creator to destroy us, and if that doesn’t work, they would attempt it themselves.
In fact, one of our explorers, a scientist of the highest caliber, who had been repeatedly warned, but who landed on Earth anyway, was pitch-forked in the back by what they classify as an Amish farmer, while was attempting to fetch a drink from their well. Additionally, my son, the vast majority would suffer a nervous system collapse if we were to reveal ourselves.”
In fact, one of our explorers, a scientist of the highest caliber, who had been repeatedly warned, but who landed on Earth anyway, was pitch-forked in the back by what they classify as an Amish farmer, while was attempting to fetch a drink from their well. Additionally, my son, the vast majority would suffer a nervous system collapse if we were to reveal ourselves.”
“A nervous-system collapse? But why father?”
“Well, son, because they fanatically believe that the creator of he universe only created them with reasoning ability, and if they discover otherwise, they will panic. It is nothing unusual for humans, son. Very often, when they disagree over religious doctrine, panic impels them to attack one another in an effort to obliterate any concept that is seriously challenging their visions of reality. To accomplish this, they often engage in what they call jihads, or religious wars.”
After a few moments of quiet contemplation and a quick, furtive glance at the hibernation machines, the son declared: “They sound interesting father!”
“Certainly they are interesting son. It is the personal contact that isn’t merely interesting, since it can prove to be suddenly very fatal. This is why it has been decided that they must be studied at a distance.” the father said grimly, frowning for the first time during the discussion.
“But have we ever attempted to know them better, father?”
His father realized that his son's deceptive inquiry to delay a return to chemically-induced hibernation, had suddenly turned into a genuine quest for knowledge, and smiled approvingly.
“Yes we have son. Upon discovering their planet, several expeditions were sent to Earth. However, none ever reported back. Soon after landing, we lost total contact. We have assumed them dead or captive in what humans refer to as Area Fifty-One, located in a region they refer to as the United States. Evidence indicates that human scientists performed gruesome medical experiments on them.”
“But we can teach them so many wonderful things!”
“Of course we can, son! Of course we can! But unfortunately, everything they learn from us they always filter through their insanity, and invariably transform it into some type of weapon to savagely brandish against one another. So it is not advisable to grant them any more of our technology lest they employ it to destroy themselves over absurdities, and if that happens, then we will have been responsible.”
“Is that really so, father?"
“Yes son, it is!” the alien father uttered calmly as he began gradually maneuvering the ship away from Earth and placing it back on course before engaging the anti-matter engines.
“Such a beautiful planet with all those billowing white clouds, vast green forests and blue water!” his son mused as he stared mesmerized at Earth receding slowly from view.
“True son, they do dwell on a beautiful planet, yet they are insanely destroying it. Notice that emerald region which is ablaze. They call it the Amazon Rain Forest. It provides precious oxygen needed for human survival. Yet, they are insanely destroying it. Those oceans marred by brown smudges of chemical industrial waste which harms life at macro and microscopic levels also offer evidence of their mental aberration. That unnatural gap in their ozone layer, a layer that filters out dangerous ultra-violate light, and makes human and all other life possible on their world, is also a consequence of their insanity.
“Astonishing!” the son uttered while shaking his bulbous, blue head in disbelief, causing his red crest to flop from side to side.
“But it doesn’t stop there son. Very soon, much of planet coastal areas along with many of their major cities will be underwater, You see, their reckless activates are raising global temperatures and melting their icecaps. They know exactly what is approaching due to their activities which create a Greenhouse effect, and yet, they stubbornly persist ”
“That is indeed crazy!”
“Of course, it is crazy, son, and that is reason we will refrain to land there. Because humans are insane!
"Do you still wish to visit that planet son? Should we turn back?” the father asked rhetorically, testing to see if indeed a valuable lesson had been learned.
"Do you still wish to visit that planet son? Should we turn back?” the father asked rhetorically, testing to see if indeed a valuable lesson had been learned.
“No!" the son responded sadly. "I think that we better do as suggested, and bypass that insane asylum.”