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Some Assumptions Examined Predictions about the consequences of contact, both positive and negative, rest on certain assumptions. The most common is that contact will be indirect, via electromagnetic signals. White identified some of the others. Many of the foreseen scenarios assume extreme results, either good or bad; they assume clear intent (if the extraterrestrials are benign, the outcome of contact should be good; if they are hostile, the outcome will be bad); the impact they foresee is one way, from the aliens to us.’ It is time for another look at the assumptions underlying what people believe about an encounter with extraterrestrials. As the remote contact scenario has generated far more nonfiction literature than direct contact, most challenges address the assumptions underlying that model. Readers should not jump to the conclusion that this is meant to discredit the idea of remote contact. Direct contact scenarios—and their consequences— also rest on assumptions that may be questioned. We begin with assumptions about the search. Our expectations about the results of this quest often reflect our assumptions about what alien civilizations would be like and how they would behave. Examining these assumptions shows us that finding extraterrestrials may be much more difficult than the most optimistic searchers had hoped. Our purpose here is not to discourage believers or to side with deniers, but to encourage greater realism. 259