sort of deflated

After we finally made contact with the greater galactic civilization, a lot of the human race felt sort of deflated and humbled when it became clear that our little spiral arm had long been a reservation that was off limits to development, because the powers that be wanted to preserve some areas in a natural state. The Greater Galactic Department of Parks and Recreation got some egg on it's face when some minor functionary goofed up and let a cruise ship that was giving a Wilderness Tour impinge on our solar system. They had to rush in an improvised first contact unit, to explain to us that they did value our race, and were kind of sorry that they had left us in such a primitive state for so long, subject to death and disease and religion and other such nasty things.....but it had long been an accepted mandate that some places were just off limits, since such pristine territory is held to be precious....they would give us lots of gifts to try to make things right.....they hoped we would understand....