re: #544 dangerman

and their wanting to have nothing to do with us

im guessing weve been watched for a long long time
theyre all sitting on their planets with the lights off and the shades drawn

Possible. Assuming our solar system is younger than other solar systems closer to the center of the galaxy, then it is entirely possible that older civilizations exist that have figured out the transportation issues. But there’s two ways those civilizations could go, call it Federation and Klingon - one is benevolent expansion and trade; the other is conquering empire. There’s no reason to believe either is more likely than the other; or that some version of the Prime Directive actually exists.

For the non-Star Trek fans out there, the Prime Directive is a rule (often broken) that first contact can’t be made until a planet develops faster than light speed travel.