Or we are an experiment (natural or artificial) that yields optimal information when unmanipulated or manipulated imperceptibly (from our point of view).
Crazy Idea—What if we are an isolated people and the solution to the Fermi paradox is that aliens have made contact with earth, but our fellow humans have decided to keep this information from us. Yes, this seems extremely unlikely, but so do all other solutions to the Fermi paradox.
...Think of the Federation’s “Prime Directive” in Star Trek.
Or we are an experiment (natural or artificial) that yields optimal information when unmanipulated or manipulated imperceptibly (from our point of view).
Or the way we try to keep isolated people isolated (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncontacted_peoples)
Crazy Idea—What if we are an isolated people and the solution to the Fermi paradox is that aliens have made contact with earth, but our fellow humans have decided to keep this information from us. Yes, this seems extremely unlikely, but so do all other solutions to the Fermi paradox.
That is the basic idea behind the X-Files TV series and various UFO conspiracy theories, isn’t it?
Then why would they even contact those few people?
It might not be direct contract but rather our astronomers have long since detected signs of alien life, but this has been kept from us.