If we go with the Douglas Adams theory the aliens are well aware that we exist but because of who we descend from we're generally given wide berth as functional idiots unless a hyper-galactic highway needs to travel through our trajectory...in which case we'll be blown up.
HG Wells had a really interesting take on aliens, especially for the time he wrote in. First men on the moon was a completely different take that I hadn't come across before despite being over 100 years old.
I think Phillip K Dick is probably close to the money on what kind of integration we'd have with aliens if we made contact. They'd basically see us as a commodity to be used and would use any means necessary to do so.
Sticking with science fiction, Avatar is a clear example of what we would do against an alien race that has a resource we covet. We've repeatedly demonstrated this through history and continue to do so.
In reality, scientists are terribly naive to think that making contact with an alien life form capable of traveling here is a good idea.