...the reason human beings could not reject ideas because they were bad: Ideas on Earth were badges of friendship or enmity. Their content did not matter. Friends agreed with friends, in order to express friendliness. Enemies disagreed with enemies, in order to express enmity.
The most beautiful explanation of Hansonian signalling I've seen.
With all due respect to Robin, this very thread supplies prior art for this idea :).
Here's the new thread for posting quotes, with the usual rules: