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Aliens help us imagine what is out there and personify what is within.
Approx. 550 words; 3 minutes read time
As a sci-fi fanatic, I love aliens. There's something about a creature from another world - the novelty, the spectacle – that never ceases to amaze me. And I'm not alone. Science fiction aliens have left an indelible mark on our collective psyche. These imagined creatures help us envision possible extraterrestrial life. They are also effective at illustrating aspects of our very human nature.
Here are three reasons why I love fictional aliens, along with a few examples of my favorite space beings.
Aliens are unreal. Aliens are appealing – even the ugly ones – because they are so otherworldly. While some are human-like such as the pointy-eared Vulcans from Star Trek, the extreme aliens make the biggest impression. Take for example the xenomorph in Alien; it is exotic, being a mosaic that borrows elements from insects, reptiles, phalluses (yes, it's true) and machines, combined in humanoid form. Still more foreign, the shape-shifting creature in The Thing assimilates and morphs into other lifeforms as it terrorizes. But perhaps the most alien aliens are the amorphous ones. In The Abyss, the explorers of a deep-sea crevasse discover a fluid, metallic creature that shapelessly flows through the depths.
Aliens are also very real. In saying this, I don't mean I believe little green men are visiting Earth right now. No, what I mean is that while the concept of the space alien – the extraterrestrial – is about the "other," in reality these creations portray very human qualities. For example, ET, that castaway alien in ET – The Extraterrestrial, exhibits the kindness, empathy and friendship that characterizes the best of humanity. It's hard to watch ET and not want to be a better person. Conversely, The Predator features a planet-hopping trophy hunter alien that exemplifies the selfish and ruthless side of man. Fictional aliens, being a product of human imagination, feature the best and worst of us, providing an ideal personification of our extremes.
Aliens are creativity at its best. Whatever real aliens are like, chances are they are nothing like what we have dreamed up thus far. And that's okay. Writers bring these creatures to life in ways that make them seem as human, or more human, than us. And artists illustrate, paint and sculpt aliens into existence, portraying wonderful lifeforms never before seen. This creativity inspires imagination in others. As a kid, for every hour I spent watching or reading a story on aliens, I would spend countless more time dreaming up and drawing my own. I see my son doing the same thing today. Aliens make us all think and imagine, inspiring us to dream.
As much as we'd like to know what life exists beyond Earth, we don't. So what we imagine to be "out there" must come from within us. What materializes is a uniquely human quality – artistic expression. That's the wonder of sci-fi aliens. All this creativity serves to show us how amazingly diverse we are inside.
Until next time. Science. Fiction. Create.
JRC