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free_is_free76 t1_j1v54ie wrote

Reply to comment by aspheric_cow in do we really believe aliens can decode the golden records by Calm-Confidence8429

That is part of it, certainly. But given Carl Sagan's involvement, I think there was a genuine effort to communicate. No matter how infinitesimal the chance of it being recovered by aliens are, it is (besides radio waves) our only ambassador to the galaxy, and I believe he took that role of Voyager very seriously.

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DaddyCatALSO t1_j1v6uws wrote

But it is aimed at empty space

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free_is_free76 t1_j1vcwce wrote

Ellie Arroway: You know, there are four hundred billion stars out there, just in our galaxy alone. If only one out of a million of those had planets, and just of out of a million of those had life, and just one out of a million of those had intelligent life; there would be literally millions of civilizations out there.

Palmer Joss: [looking the night sky] Well, if there wasn't, it'll be an awful waste of space.

Ellie Arroway: [looking him] Amen.

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aspheric_cow t1_j1vk2pz wrote

Carl Sagan's involvement actually makes me think the main purpose was to educate the public about the possibility of extraterrestrial life, rather than a serious attempt at communicating with them.

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