The 'Big' Question

 

"So why don't they land and make open contact?"

I wouldn't.

Look at the number of incidents in which an object lands and entities are seen and the human reaction? Get the gun and start blasting away. Just an object in close proximity -shoot at it.

Humans are destroying their own planet willingly for gain or simply because they do not care. Polluting land, sea and air as well as killing species to the point of or into extinction without caring. Hit an animal on the road and drive on -so what. Hundreds of thousands of animals and birds killed that way every year on roads. Many thousands of animals killed simply for 'fun'.

Thousands a week killed in some conflicts and what does the collective world do? Nothing other than just watch or spout a few words for publicity. Slaughtering babies, children, women, men and anything else DAILY.

Believe me I might try the odd landing for some necessary reason but would I want to have open contact with humans or allow them to start a war over who gets to steal the alien tech first? Would I want humans in space contaminating it?

There are no Captain Kirk or Captain Piccard speeches about how humans have so much potential and that we are "getting there" -that is pure fantasy because humans have killed since before they found they could dress in animal hides and they continue to kill because they like to.

No, I can see no reason for any alien civilisation to do anything but observe.