Active Now

Slartibartfast
.
Randy D
Discussion » Statements » Rosie's Corner » An Answermug friend posits this. If aliens were to invade the earth all nations might come together to fight. I'm not so sure. Agree/dis?
RosieG

An Answermug friend posits this. If aliens were to invade the earth all nations might come together to fight. I'm not so sure. Agree/dis?

In America the night of October 30, 1938 there was DRY RUN. Orson Welles via his Mercury Theater radio program present WAR OF THE WORLDS only he didn't keep letting the audience know it was just a program.

People panicked. They were going nutjob crackpotty. They believed aliens had landed and were on the march.

No one came together. Everyone fell apart.

So I don't know if any coming together of nations would happen since there was no coming together in America...only falling apart.

Posted - June 25, 2021
Tags : None

Responses


  • 3719
    If the aliens knew what we are really like they'd decide to find somewhere less cantankerous!

    The War Of The Worlds drama was not intended as a "dry run" for anything; but became very unfortunately an object lesson in how easy it is to cause panic!

    It was simply a radio play so presumably had been announced in advance by the listings pages or the station itself. Those who panicked had evidently not read or heard any advance publicity, but did not stop to think at the time so were totally taken in by it starting as a "news" flash interrupting a bland music programme. 

    They would not normally have interrupted a play to say "You are listening to a play" because that would break the dramatic illusion and spoil it for the genuine listeners. I think they did have to do that though, greatly annoying the genuine listeners.

    +++

    This recalls to me perhaps the most crass advertising I have ever seen. I had gone to the cinema to watch a James Bond film - I forget which. The central scene in one of the pre-feature advertisements, for milk or something, was of an actor accidentally crashing through a scenery flat on a film set... Yes, that of a scene in the feature film itself!
      June 25, 2021 5:45 PM MDT
    1

  • 113301
    You misunderstand me. I did not mean it was an INTENTIONAL dry run. It was however what would happen if aliens were to invade the earth. In that sense it was a dry run. People panicked. They did not come together to help one another against "the enemy". I do agree that no worthwhile alien would bother with homo saps. We haven't much to offer. The power and control here is by the least worthy among us. The ones who bully intimidate threaten attack. Not one iota or scintilla of intelligence is evident in the latest marauders. The Don Guantanamo and his adoring worshippers? Seriously? So aliens land and say "take me to your leader". Whom would that be? I shall ask.  As for breaking illusion there are films where the actors look at the camera and address the audience. It's a schtick and I am not a fan. Thank you for your reply Durdle. Here goes! :)
      June 26, 2021 4:23 AM MDT
    0