Alien High-Five Causes War

EARTH PROXIMA CENTAURI B "UP HIGH" MESSAGE SENT — t=0.00y MESSAGE RECEIVED DISCUSSION HIGH-5 REPLY SENT REPLY RECEIVED — t=8.52y "DOWN LOW" MESSAGE SENT — t=8.53y MESSAGE RECEIVED DISCUSSION LOW-5 REPLY SENT "TOO SLOW" MESSAGE SENT — t=16.94y REPLY RECEIVED — t=17.03y MESSAGE RECEIVED INVASION FLEET LAUNCHED t=4.25y t=4.27y t=12.77y t=12.79y t=21.19y t=21.26y 21 YEARS AND 3 MONTHS AFTER I TAUGHT THE ALIENS ABOUT HIGH-5s, THE WAR BEGAN.

A hand-drawn space-time diagram shows Earth exchanging messages with aliens on Proxima Centauri B. The joke is that the aliens misunderstand the high-five, down-low, and “too slow” sequence, eventually launching an invasion after 21 years and 3 months. It is used as an absurd reaction to slow communication, misunderstandings, or an innocent joke escalating into disaster.

• @rzeczyzabawne / 9432 2023-05-23