[ WP ] You discover that Earth is the `` North Korea '' of the galaxy

3rd Moon, 5th Light, Planet XI: 
 
 Welcome to the Institute for Collective Advancement ’ s Lecture Series, “ the Human Problem ”. Today ’ s lecture is on human propaganda – what it looks like, what it sounds like, and what it means for policy. The transcript is available and xenotranslated for you. Our xenotranslation should come online shortly, so allow me to introduce our lecturer, Esteemed Fellow, in the meantime. 
 
 Our lecturer today is an expert on Earth and its civilization, with a whole moon ’ s ( Mardan Mean Chronometry ) worth of experience at the Earth Exploratory Institute. Earth, of course, remains closed to non-humans. Human claims to the Solar System remain basically unexercised and our extremely limited contact is almost wholly through distant scans of the human home world and analysis of their propaganda. Our lecturer is here to offer insight into the Hermit Planet. Estee- 
 
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 Good existence to you, sentient life. This is of course the summary of the fourth installment of “ the Human Problem ”. I am an Esteemed Fellow of Collective Advancement here to talk you about the xenopolitics of humans. Many thanks for the introduction. 
 
 Humans are a source of endless fascination for a number of fields. We have heard of the xenobiology 
 and geology of Earth previously, but we have yet to discuss why this society is so fascinating to xenopolitical theorists like us. The previous lecture gave us a number of insights into the recent history of humans, particularly surrounding their achievement of Dasein-1. What I would like to do now is discuss what humans tell themselves about themselves and why listening to these constant streams of data are essential to understanding why Earth remains as it does. 
 
 We return to Human Year 1969. The previous scholar mentioned the method of achievement for Dasein-1 – certainly not a glamorous entry into civilization ( light laughs ), to be sure. What is crucial about the human entry to Dasein-1 is the immediate reaction to it on the human home world. The achievement of Dasein-1 usually results in xenopolitical evolution for whatever species attains it. So-called “ states ” or polities typically merge or smudge, to use the words of another Fellow, and the planet typically can achieve some semblance of pan-Dasein cooperation to enter the civilized world. 
 
 This…did not happen on Earth, and the propaganda broadcast from the planet is very telling as to why. Several vectors of reactionary sentiment have been extracted from their works, which collectively suggest a basic and insular society. Human propensity to fear other forms of Dasein life is extreme. Typical depictions of space in human propaganda relate strongly to narratives of conquest and domination, either by the human species on another world or an alien species annexing Earth. When aliens invade Earth in human propaganda, humans are depicted as brave freedom-fighters who win by exploiting an obvious weakness in the alien invaders. A classic example involves aliens unable to survive contact with water – why sentient life would choose to violate interplanetary norms to invade a planet that they can not use is beyond me ( giggles ), but human propaganda is still a relatively obscure field of research. 
 
 Human imaginations of life in the celestial void bring the failings of current human living conditions to space, using fantastical inventions to offset the obvious inadequacies. Near the time of entry to Dasein-1, human broadcasts depict a standard Clan Unit consisting of one member of each of the two known human sexes and a number of their young. Despite a prevalence of other colorations and styles of life, human propaganda fairly consistently depicts the palest of their species living in similar patterns – one of each sex, aged approximately 40 Earth Cyclical Years, living with their young in an insular domicile. The status of the human Clan Unit is projected through this “ home ”, with more powerful humans typically having bigger domiciles holding the same size of Clan Unit. More conventional conditions which actually exist on the planet, including informal, temporary, mobile, or multiple Clan Units inhabiting the same domiciles are not broadcast except in negative terms. Recent efforts to eliminate the one-of-each-sex rule in Clan Units have met with mixed success. 
 
 Human adherence to primitive xenosociological notions is buttressed by this expression of idealized Clan Unit cohabitation. The Clan Unit domicile connects to another typically through a road network or by a basic Global Communication System called “ Internet ”, which is understood to include vocal/visual capacities but lacks tactile or psychic capabilities. Human power is expressed through their ability to navigate a self-created hostile world in a way that is aesthetically pleasing to other humans, suggesting that the broadcast of power is the single most crucial element of human society. Indeed, the apotheoses of human power as expressed politically through their polities are rarely seen save through application of their powers to navigate Earth and to speak to large groups of people on the planet at the same time. The President of the United States ( perhaps a formative try at “ smudging ”, though this is delineated as only applicable to the landmass called “ America ” ) has the ability to push other humans off of the road network and to interject on the Internet by interrupting a broadcast if so needed. These powers are not present for other humans. 
 
 Most humans, sadly for them, do not lead the lives expressed in their propaganda. But their adhesion to the values expressed in these broadcasts is notably extreme. Human technology continues to revolve around impressing power on other humans rather than the necessary steps for Dasein-2. The acquisition of this technology by ordinary humans requires the use of additional power-projecting technology, which in turn requires regular replacement. An example of this can be seen in the totemic unit called the “ Mall ” so common in human propaganda. 
 
 The mall is a simple requisition area in the sense that it collects power-projecting technologies in a common space. Malls do not allow for regular requisition, however; they rarely are seen to contain essentials for human life such as food requisition areas and typically require mastery over the road infrastructure through ownership of a private transport method. Depictions of individuals using collective transport suggest that these people lack the power-projecting items ( like the newest technology ) necessary to fit into the propaganda mold of an ideal human. One leader akin to the President, a Prime Minister of a United Kingdom ( again, evidence of smudging; again limited to “ Great Britain and Northern Ireland ” ), declared that anyone using collective transport after 25 Earth Cycles of existence is “ a loser ”. 
 
 This cycle of replacement for transportation and consumption enforced by human propaganda has obvious deleterious effects on the ecology of the human home world; we fear I think with only a slight merit that humans seek to simply transplant their current basic lives into space, exploiting other humans and planets to do so, without critically evaluating their own political mores. The failings of humans to properly smudge their political systems and focus on achievement of Dasein-2 hallmarks including celestial colonization and polyphysical sentience suggest that Earth will take a great many Lights before it could possibly unify as a species, far less join civilized spacefaring society. 
 
 As for what to do with Earth, I am of many minds. Well, literally and rhetorically, of course ( light laughs ). Anyhow, the common wisdom is to let humans continue to evolve. The philosophical implications of stepping in to abet human development are deep and arguably contrary to the maxims of civilized spacefaring society. While we have little to fear from Earth militarily, the failings of humans are such that they are likely to render themselves extinct before they can enter Dasein-2, much less Dasein-3 or beyond. Collectively, there is little evidence that humans are a positive galactic entity. Individual humans working in a xenopolitically-acceptable space ( what humans call “ a well-oiled machine ” ) may however spontaneously develop the touchstones to Dasein-2, at which point the desired smudging of polities should take place. Thus I propose postponing Contact until a target space with capable humans develops. Our hopes for the NASA and the International Space Station are dim, but the chance for localized xenopolitical reform begetting sustained Dasein-2 advancement is still there. We can, or can not, hope. 
 
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... And so it was that I found out what the rest of the galaxy thinks of Earth.
