Early Criticism: What’s Unfounded and What Isn’t

[ichab]

The whole conceit that officers in the military only interact in strict and rigid formality and decorum doesn't even reflect the reality. That's more of a byproduct of mid-20th century propaganda that tried to depict all officers as being robot toy soldiers that fell in line. That kind of depiction of the military pretty much got dropped post-Vietnam.

As someone who served post vietnam , I can say first hand that formalities and decorum did not get dropped in any way shape or form. Im not sure where you got that malarky from.

 

[fireproof78]

As someone who served post vietnam , I can say first hand that formalities and decorum did not get dropped in any way shape or form. Im not sure where you got that malarky from.

But is that the only way military members interacted was strict formality, and just as robots?

 

[ichab]

But is that the only way military members interacted was strict formality, and just as robots?

Nobody was a robot,(I dont recall any robot types on TNG except Data), but you were certainly not lounging around like on a beach or talking to a superior officer in an informal manner. When you were in uniform, you were professional. Everyone addressed each other by their rank and last name. You weren't saying "High Chris", it was Good morning Captain."

Out of uniform in the barracks or hanging in town was different of course. But even then you still weren't calling superior officers , or even superior non officers by their first names. Many of them didnt even know the first names of others unless they hung out together after hours.

 

[fireproof78]

Nobody was a robot,(I dont recall any robot types on TNG except Data), but you were certainly not lounging around like on a beach or talking to a superior officer in an informal manner. When you were in uniform, you were professional. Everyone addressed each other by their rank and last name. You weren't saying "High Chris", it was Good morning Captain."

Out of uniform in the barracks or hanging in town was different of course. But even then you still weren't calling superior officers , or even superior non officers by their first names. Many of them didnt even know the first names of others unless they hung out together after hours.

Which are traditions Roddenberry tried to eschew.