What are your controversial Star Trek opinions?

[fireproof78]

But that's based on the needs of the individual.

So, to put it simply, the needs of the few outweigh the needs of the many?

Yes, there is always a balancing act of people's needs vs. organizational needs. But, we're also primarily watching the best of the best in the shows. Yet, somehow, their greatest contribution to society is a moribund career despite demonstrated need?

 

[The Wormhole]

They hired Michael Dorn who was built like a Tall Line Backer, casted him as the new "Head of Security".

Well, not exactly. Worf didn't become head of security until the second season. They didn't really know what to do with the character in the first season, indeed he was a late addition to the cast added after the first cast promotional pictures were taken, indeed he's even absent from the very first one done because of that. Really, the thinking at the time was just "hey let's have a Klingon serving in Starfleet, show how much has changed since TOS."

Michael Dorn didn't get the role because of his physique or that he was "built like a tall linebacker." That was incidental. Rather he got the role because when he showed up for his audition he was in character the entire time to the point where he wasn't friendly or chatty with anyone, he walked in, recited his line and immediately left without any additional chit chat or small talk, which prompted Roddenberry to jump up and scream "Him! He's our Klingon!"

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

Which is why promotion to captain should exist and be encouraged for more than just starship commanders.

StarFleet already does that.

Look at Scotty, he ended up as a Captain of Engineering.
Look at Geordi, he ended up being a Commodore. in Engineering and is a living legend.
Same with Captain Liam Shaw.

Janeway was a Science Specialist before going into Captaincy.

Worf is a Tactical / Intelligence Specialist before going into Captaincy.

Very few are a Captain for the sake of being a Captain, to stay there as Captain.

Most really just becomes a Captain to gain the necessary experience to progress up to Flag Officers into their Specialty fields.

It's absurdity to me that an organization that promotes individual growth and larger organizational learning of allowing people to become complacent and not contribute more to the whole with their knowledge and experience.

StarFleet has plenty of high ranking officers who are specialists of sorts.

They may have dallied in StarShip Commanding, but thats' only to gain experience in that field and then veer back into their original Speciality.

 

[BillJ]

Well, not exactly. Worf didn't become head of security until the second season. They didn't really know what to do with the character in the first season, indeed he was a late addition to the cast added after the first cast promotional pictures were taken, indeed he's even absent from the very first one done because of that. Really, the thinking at the time was just "hey let's have a Klingon serving in Starfleet, show how much has changed since TOS."

Michael didn't get the role because of his physique or that he was "built like a tall linebacker." That was incidental. Rather he got the role because when he showed up for his audition he was in character the entire time to the point where he wasn't friendly or chatty with anyone, he walked in, recited his line and immediately left without any additional chit chat or small talk, which prompted Roddenberry to jump up and scream "Him! He's our Klingon!"

I remember how excited I was about having a Klingon on the bridge, but outside of “Heart of Glory”, it largely came across as a wet fart.

A lot of credit to Dorn for making the character far more interesting than what was on the page.

 

[Turtletrekker]

StarFleet already does that.

Look at Scotty, he ended up as a Captain of Engineering.
Look at Geordi, he ended up being a Commodore. in Engineering and is a living legend.
Same with Captain Liam Shaw.

Janeway was a Science Specialist before going into Captaincy.

Worf is a Tactical / Intelligence Specialist before going into Captaincy.

Very few are a Captain for the sake of being a Captain, to stay there as Captain.

Rachel Garrett has been established to have been a science specialist before becoming a Captain.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

So, to put it simply, the needs of the few outweigh the needs of the many?

No, it's usually a meeting in the middle between the two.

Yes, there is always a balancing act of people's needs vs. organizational needs. But, we're also primarily watching the best of the best in the shows.

But at a specific moment in their lives, not their entire careers.

You saw TNG, DS9, PIC

Worf has a very wide career that expanded well past what we saw on screen and continued to where we saw him in ST:PIC.

He went from a very green Ensign -> Chief of Security -> Chief of Tactical & Intelligence -> Federation Ambassador to the Klingon Empire -> Captain of the USS Enterprise-E -> Intelligence Individual Contractor.

Yet, somehow, their greatest contribution to society is a moribund career despite demonstrated need?

It depends on the individual in question and what promotions and route they took.

Let's look at Barclay, he went from the USS Enterprise to working on Project PathFinder which was critical in helping re-establishing communication with the USS Voyager and creating Low Latency Long Range Real-Time Communications across the Galaxy.

Those are HUGE accomplishments.

 

[fireproof78]

depends on the individual in question and what promotions and route they took.

So, again, individual need takes precedence.

StarFleet has plenty of high ranking officers who are specialists of sorts.

They may have dallied in StarShip Commanding, but thats' only to gain experience in that field and then veer back into their original Speciality.

They do?

 

[Farscape One]

Sisko also moved up to command from engineering.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

The person in charge of allocating crew members might decide that while they need somebody with your qualifications, you're unsuitable for other reasons (nature of the job, personality, species needs, etc)

 

[BillJ]

Let's look at Barclay, he went from the USS Enterprise to working on Project PathFinder which was critical in helping re-establishing communication with the USS Voyager and creating Low Latency Long Range Real-Time Communications across the Galaxy.

In the real world, Barclay would’ve washed out while at the Academy.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

Well, not exactly. Worf didn't become head of security until the second season.

True, but that's the route they gave him.

They didn't really know what to do with the character in the first season, indeed he was a late addition to the cast added after the first cast promotional pictures were taken, indeed he's even absent from the very first one done because of that. Really, the thinking at the time was just "hey let's have a Klingon serving in Starfleet, show how much has changed since TOS."

He was a very green ensign, learning the ropes.
Same with Geordi.

Nothing wrong with that. We saw in the Lower Decks series how officers progress.
TNG just showed it across it's entire running.
Same with Lower Decks.
Everybody naturally progresses through some field that they chose, and then goes down a specialization.

Michael didn't get the role because of his physique or that he was "built like a tall linebacker." That was incidental. Rather he got the role because when he showed up for his audition he was in character the entire time to the point where he wasn't friendly or chatty with anyone, he walked in, recited his line and immediately left without any additional chit chat or small talk, which prompted Roddenberry to jump up and scream "Him! He's our Klingon!"

Regardless of how Michael Dorn got his roll, it happened, he's a very important part of Star Trek History.

In the real world, Barclay would’ve washed out while at the Academy.

This is the "Trek World", apparently SFA is good with dealing with special cases like Barclay and helping him along the way.

Despite his personal issues, they work with him to make him shine at what he's good at and work on his other foibles as well.

That's why he was able to serve on the Enterprise-D.

It was for his talents. The "Best of the Best" all choose to serve on the Enterprise-D.

Even if there are some personal quirks like with Barclay.

They do?

You usually don't make it into Flag Officer ranks w/o going through Captaincy at some point.

Look at Janeway, she's a scientst by trade.
Became Captain of Voyager, is now a Flag Officer and decided to stay in the Command Division.

Some Officers decides that they like the Command Division and stay there.

There must be other Flag Officers within the Other Divisions:
Vice Admiral Toddman is a StarFleet Flag Officer who is part of StarFleet Security.
For a Career Officer, he must've been Captain at some point in his career before moving up to Flag Officer status and back into Security.

To date, he, Admiral Beverly Crusher, Commodore Geordi LaForge, and Commodore Oh are the only 24th century era flag officers to not wear command red as their division color. However, there is a 23rd century precedent to this practice, as all TOS flag officers wore command division gold except for two Commodores, Stone and Stocker.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Sisko also moved up to command from engineering.

Shaw was a dipshit from Chicago.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

Shaw was a dipshit from Chicago.

Everybody has to start some where.
That was Liam Shaw's starting point.

 

[The Wormhole]

True, but that's the route they gave him.

Mostly because when Tasha Yar left the show, Worf was the one in the main cast who didn't have a clearly defined role so he could be slotted into the vacant chief of security without having to worry about who will replace him at his old job.

He was a very green ensign, learning the ropes.
Same with Geordi.

Worf was a Lieutenant JG in the first season. Same with Geordi.

This is the "Trek World", apparently SFA is good with dealing with special cases like Barclay and helping him along the way.

Despite his personal issues, they work with him to make him shine at what he's good at and work on his other foibles as well.

That's why he was able to serve on the Enterprise-D.

It was for his talents. The "Best of the Best" all choose to serve on the Enterprise-D.

Even if there are some personal quirks like with Barclay.

More likely Starfleet Academy isn't as strict as it's made to seem. We know Barclay was basically a failure prior to serving on the Enterprise, with it being implied on Hollow Pursuits his previous postings gave him glowing reviews as a means of getting rid of him, as he'd seem more attractive to other ships. Which believe it or not does happen in the real world, hell I've seen it happen to one of my former co-workers. But getting back on point, if Riker and Geordi had their way in Hollow Pursuits, this cycle would have continued. It was only because Picard caught on to what was going on and decided his ship would be the one to do something about Barclay that he eventually amounted to anything. That had nothing to do with Starfleet Academy at all.

Shaw was a dipshit from Chicago.

Someone really should do up a poster with Shaw on it titled "Chicago Dipshit" in the style of the Chicago shows on NBC.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

Mostly because when Tasha Yar left the show, Worf was the one in the main cast who didn't have a clearly defined role so he could be slotted into the vacant chief of security without having to worry about who will replace him at his old job.

Those are the IRL circumstances, regardless, it happened.

That posting help define his StarFleet career.

Worf was a Lieutenant JG in the first season. Same with Geordi.

My Bad, they started the show a little bit higher in rank.

More likely Starfleet Academy isn't as strict as it's made to seem. We know Barclay was basically a failure prior to serving on the Enterprise, with it being implied on Hollow Pursuits his previous postings gave him glowing reviews as a means of getting rid of him, as he'd seem more attractive to other ships. Which believe it or not does happen in the real world, hell I've seen it happen to one of my former co-workers. But getting back on point, if Riker and Geordi had their way in Hollow Pursuits, this cycle would have continued. It was only because Picard caught on to what was going on and decided his ship would be the one to do something about Barclay that he eventually amounted to anything. That had nothing to do with Starfleet Academy at all.

That sucks, but Picard helped fix the problem.

 

[The Wormhole]

That sucks, but Picard helped fix the problem.

It still reflect poorly on Starfleet in general. Assuming Barclay was the same age as Dwight Shultz, then he was in his forties by the time he was transferred to the Enterprise. That means he likely had a twenty year Starfleet career up to that point with superiors giving him a flattering performance review just so they could transfer him off the ship and be rid of him. And after twenty years, that's likely more than a few superiors who did that. The fact that Picard is the only one in twenty years who decided "maybe I can make something of him" doesn't reflect well on the rest of Starfleet. And even then, Riker and Geordi (who are considered Starfleet's "best of the best") wanted to give Barclay a flattering performance review to be rid of him anyway.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Someone really should do up a poster with Shaw on it titled "Chicago Dipshit" in the style of the Chicago shows on NBC.

I did find this (hidden because it's BIG):

Spoiler

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

It still reflect poorly on Starfleet in general. Assuming Barclay was the same age as Dwight Shultz, then he was in his forties by the time he was transferred to the Enterprise. That means he likely had a twenty year Starfleet career up to that point with superiors giving him a flattering performance review just so they could transfer him off the ship and be rid of him. And after twenty years, that's likely more than a few superiors who did that. The fact that Picard is the only one in twenty years who decided "maybe I can make something of him" doesn't reflect well on the rest of Starfleet. And even then, Riker and Geordi (who are considered Starfleet's "best of the best") wanted to give Barclay a flattering performance review to be rid of him anyway.

That shows you that Picard is truly a "Great Captain".

He's not willing to take the "Easy Way Out" and have his staff work on Barclay to improve him to the point where he gets to be truly useful and a contributor to StarFleet.

Instead of taking the easy way out.

 

[The Wormhole]

That shows you that Picard is truly a "Great Captain".

He's not willing to take the "Easy Way Out" and have his staff work on Barclay to improve him to the point where he gets to be truly useful and a contributor to StarFleet.

Instead of taking the easy way out.

You don't find it at all troubling that he's apparently the only Captain in Starfleet who's like this? Hell, we later see on Lower Decks this still goes on with Mariner being bumped around from posting to posting and the only reason she lasted as long as she did on the Cerritos is because Captain Freeman was ordered to keep her there. And even then, Freeman still tried to manipulate Mariner into leaving and at one point after a few years successfully did get Mariner transferred off under what it later turned out to be was a misunderstanding. Starfleet is not the all inclusive teamwork environment you seem to think it is.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

You don't find it at all troubling that he's apparently the only Captain in Starfleet who's like this? Hell, we later see on Lower Decks this still goes on with Mariner being bumped around from posting to posting and the only reason she lasted as long as she did on the Cerritos is because Captain Freeman was ordered to keep her there. And even then, Freeman still tried to manipulate Mariner into leaving and at one point after a few years successfully did get Mariner transferred off under what it later turned out to be was a misunderstanding. Starfleet is not the all inclusive teamwork environment you seem to think it is.

You do know that StarFleet is filled with people, not everybody is going to be "The Best of the Best".
It may not be "Ideal" or "What I want", but it's very "Believable".

Nobody is going to argue that Captain "Carol Freeman" will never be as renowned of a Captain as "James T. Kirk", "Jean-Luc Picard", "Benjamin Sisko", or "Kathryn Janeway".
But she is a good Captain none the less. She may not be a "Mega-Star" or "Super-Star" Captain, but she's very good at her job and gets the job done.
She won't go down in history as some amazing Captain who was a "Game Changer", but she has her place in history.

Sadly that means there will be "Lesser Captains" who didn't want to deal with problems the right way, the hard way.

We see that in the Short Trek "The Trouble with Edward"
How does Captain Lynne Lucero handle her first post?
Within days of getting her assignment on the USS Cabot, she manages to lose her ship, cause a ecological disaster with Tribbles.
Blames Edward Larkin for the entire incident.