I would like to introduce this post with Joseph Campbell, in conversation with Bill Moyers:

Joseph Campbell speaks of a “future myth” that will be spoken of in the “immediate future”. It appears that the myth is being gestated right now, assuming trial forms, or evolving in some way.

Never before have we have the knowledge or means to observe a myth being generated, and to participate in its generation. Unfortunately, the myth being generated these days is not the kind of myth that is likely to help us.

I was dismayed to read an article by Dr. Michael Salla about the Gulf Oil crisis, in relation to an online petition declaring human readiness for alien contact.  Current thinking in some circles goes something like this: Aliens will neither intervene, nor help humanity, without a prior request. Dr. Salla asks in his Examiner article “Should extraterrestrials stop the Gulf Leak?”

This current story about our helplessness and need for alien saviours is diagnostic of our collective immaturity. At best, it is an immature myth, a myth in the process of being formed through our collective efforts at understanding our place in an infinite Cosmos.

The Petition, which lists those who agree that we are ready for overt contact, is titled  We Are Ready. It is still collecting signatures (10, 619 at the time of writing this post). Many of the people who signed added obviously emotional pleas such as “HELP US!” and “WE ARE READY!”

This petition is in response to another petition, supposedly originating with a group  benevolent extraterrestrials. I wrote about that alien-inspired “Change the World” poll in a separate post a few years ago. The original website hosting that petition is no longer active, but it is still circulating as a message, and has become part of the collective story about extraterrestrials. You can read it, for example, at this Light Workers site. (Note that the Lightworker who conveys the petition says that the real origin of the statement is immaterial. What is important is the message.)

This new petition appears to be an attempt to remedy the lack of response from the extraterrestrials who generated the first message. So now the aliens know we lack patience.

Dr. Michael Salla, an early signatory, writes about the petition in his Examiner article, and supports the spirit of it by invoking the sentimental Karen Carpenter song “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft.” I like that song, but now that I am older, I don’t think for a minute that the sentiment expressed is realistic or even desirable. Not that I am a grumpy old curmudgeon who has given up - on the contrary - I have accepted that global level contact is possible and even inevitable. But wouldn’t you prefer that contact be made on the basis of maturity and readiness, not sentimentality and helplessness?

Contactee Miriam Delicado said, when I asked her if she wanted to see Mass Contact, replied, “No! That would mean we blew it, that we are too late.” (See my posts about my conversations with her.) In other words, they would only appear en masse when our ecosystems and infrastructures are in such a state of disarray that the situation is hopeless, and rescue is the only option left for caring observers. She may be correct on that point, because true readiness, as opposed to presumed or fanciful readiness, is based on actually being ready. And that real readiness can only be demonstrated through action, and demonstration. Do we treat fellow human beings with tolerance and respect? Do we take care of our planet? Have we faced and dealt with overpopulation? Have we learned to reconcile our religious and political differences? Do we find ways to end the stupidity of warfare? Do we recognise and counteract propaganda and marketing?

Real, mass contact with an intelligent extraterrestrial species will be an event of immense significance, requiring more preparation than that provided by Karen Carpenter’s lovely song, which serves to entertain and arouse emotions, or maybe plant a seed idea, but little else.

Mythology is important and instructive, but when it is enacted in this way, with an expectation for rescue, it is a dysfunctional myth. Myth speaks to human greatness, overcoming obstacles, and transitioning to new levels of functioning. Myths provide templates for human development, not templates for human failure. Unless, that is, it is a warning myth, a template about how to not proceed. The myth of Icarus, for example, was instructive about how to not develop new technology.

At our present stage of development, the story circulating on the web is one of childish helplessness. The current myth seems to be, in a  nutshell, and stripped of niceties: “We are the poor lost people of Earth, dominated by a cabal of ruthless psychopaths, who are possibly working in concert with reptilian aliens. We need help, because we are too greedy, short-sighted and lazy to clean up our own nest. We are vain enough to believe that we deserve to be saved. Because we believe, and ask for help, we will have our needs met, and not have to face the consequences of our stupidity.”

The myth of extraterrestrial involvement in human affairs could evolve into a helpful myth that may, in fact, prepare us for eventual contact with an extraterrestrial species. We need to develop a story that can be told again and again, so as to embed the metaphor in our minds, in our collective consciousness, so that we may actually consciously evolve as a species. But the story being acted out through this petition is one of helplessness and immaturity.

If aliens are watching, they would see from this petition a clear signal that humanity is NOT ready for contact. We are not taking responsibility for our actions, we are doing nothing to prevent further degradation of our precious ecosystems, and with such a petition, we are acting like babies, instead of the emerging cosmic adults we could be.

But, you may ask, is not being ready to ask for, and to accept help a sign of maturity? The humility and innocence being expressed in the petition, and in Dr. Salla’s article, you may say, is a sign of readiness, that we are losing our hubris, our pride and insistence that there is nothing wrong, or that we can fix all our problems ourselves. I wish that were so. Such reasoning holds water if and when we have done everything in our power to help ourselves. And clearly, we have not. Attempts at self- help have so far been tardy and ineffective, the object of great mockery, as shown in this widely circulated (over 5 million views) video:

Readiness for membership in a theoretical Cosmic Community means, first of all, being able to identify oneself as an Earthling. How could it be otherwise?

I would rather promote a story that goes something like this, in a nutshell: “Humanity was made humble through reflection upon its folly, through experiencing the consequences of its actions. The people woke up, and helped each other wake up. They took action to not repeat the mistakes of the past, and they had the courage to face the difficult problems. They honoured empathy and care for the Planet. They put aside their differences in the name of Unity. They began to think of themselves, increasingly, as people of Earth. They celebrated cosmic markers such as eclipses and solstices, not because of superstition, but because such events are what humanity has in common. They applied the knowledge they had, and learned to conduct themselves with honour, discipline, creativity, playfulness and empathy. They abandoned political, scientific and religious belief systems in favour of practical experience. Eventually, their love and unity resonated with, and attracted advanced intelligences, who saw that the human species was ready to begin preparations for entry into the Cosmic community. The advanced beings sent a few emissaries, this time overtly, and not under cover. Preparations were made, and before long, the entire population of Earth was made aware of the fact they are truly not alone.”

Now, that is a story worth repeating. One that we can tell our children, so they learn, and take a step towards that great day when we make Contact.

Perhaps I am being too negative. The data so far show that only a few thousand people signed the helpless “We Are Ready” petition, and over five million viewed the BP bashing video. Many, many people know a disaster when they see one. They know that things are wrong. We are not always stupid, all of the time. More people are becoming aware that a small group of very powerful men control the bulk of planetary affairs, to our detriment. The knowledge of past Ages, and research findings about human nature is available to almost everyone, thanks to the Internet. Creativity and hope abound, enough, at least, for me to suspect that we have a chance. As the graffitti somewhere in South America says, “Let’s leave pessimism for better times.”