The Reality of Star Trek

Discussion in 'General Trek Discussion' started by Enow, Aug 19, 2013.

  1. Enow

    Enow Lieutenant Red Shirt

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    ***Warning!!! It is a depressing topic ***

    The reality of Star Trek is just an utopian dream.

    Mankind is broken. History reports that no matter how good a system is, if evil men run it, then no good will come of it.

    You can have a good king or a good democratic government in spite of how fallible they may be, but if evil men are in power, then evil has a tendency to flourish on all levels if it hasn't been doing so in leading up to putting them in power.

    Then you have advanced technology where even now, children have their faces buried in a handheld devises more than they are in face to face communication. Our society seems to use technology to seperate us more, not bringing us closer together. We are content with images and typed instant messages and internet connections and skype, than we are about actually building social skills in face to face encounters.

    Now imagine how that will be in the reality of Star Trek. Do not most fans joke now about disappearing from real life into the holodeck, imitating the Barclay Syndrome of STNG? Who would not prefer a controlled environment and programmed friends in a holodeck than deal with others' shortcomings or our own?

    And the rate of insecurities in having our personal liberties taken away for some general public peace of mind, makes one wonder if in Star Trek, would our quarters be monitored for changeling activities out of paranoia, a fall out from the Dominion War? And how many "peeping Toms" and "peeping Janes" would be out there, using these means not necessarily for Starfleet security? Who watches the watchers?

    Can anyone say that they would not have a holographic version of someone you like or that you know, whethor it be some neighborhood crush or a celebrity, and not pursue that "relationship" in a holdeck rather than face real life?

    Wouldn't something like this drive people to be more introverted not just for their own pleasure, but to avoid being exploited imagewise for the pleasures of others?

    Wouldn't seeking to serve self and their own gains develop a covetous behaviour that could dominate the person's character and thus alienate themselves from real people and even family members?

    Would lust itself prevent Star Trek from ever coming about?

    Can real love that seeks the good of the other and not their own personal gain survive in that reality?

    And yet, all we have to do is look closer to home.

    NASA is shut down because we have too many self serving politicians in the government and not enough rich people that would use their bonusses on Wall Street to pay off the debt to keep the value of the dollar strong.

    It is good to dream about Star Trek, but it is too bad that it cannot inspire the nation to love their neighbor as themselves. Indeed, covetous self service can hide behind the Prime Directive of non-interference and let nature take its course.

    That means no Star Trek in any future. R.I.P. NASA
     
  2. Melakon

    Melakon Admiral In Memoriam

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    You're ignoring that Star Trek, particularly in its later forms, tells us that a Third World War (which nearly destroyed humanity), and first contact with aliens caused the people of Earth to re-evaluate their goals and they joined together to improve themselves and society.
     
  3. Avon

    Avon Commodore Commodore

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    star trek isn't reality.

    also though they had their funding cut, nasa hasn't shut down.
     
  4. BillJ

    BillJ The King of Kings Admiral

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    Mankind isn't broken, mankind in growing.

    The only ones who are separated are the ones who allow themselves to be separated. If not technology, they'd simply find another way to separate themselves.

    No. Been married for twenty years here with three kids. No simulated environment can compete.

    You're being melodramatic. I'm no more or less free than I was twenty-years ago.

    Seems to me that NASA has two rovers on the surface of Mars right now and other projects.

    Will our future look like Star Trek? No. It's going to be something far more wonderful than that.
     
  5. MacLeod

    MacLeod Admiral Admiral

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    To quote Winston Churchill. "It has been said that Democracy is the worst form of government, except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time". Yes Evil people have come to power but good people somewhere have stood upto them. And even today people can uprise against governments.

    But haven't things like the interent, global communication brought us closer together. Would you really be interacting with people from around the world without it or would you be interacting with perhaps people in the same villiage/town etc.. as you. Go back far enough and you might not see anyone who didn't live in the same villiage/town as yourself (ok maybe the neighbouring towns). And at the end of the day you can switch your phone off, turn your computer off and still do all those things if you so wish.
    You don't need a holodeck to disappear from real life as you put it. Can't we learn to except others for their shortcomings just as they should except ours. Isn;t that in part what ST is about?

    That happens today, look at reactions to terrorist attacks.

    We all have our fantasies and most people can sperate their fantasies from real life.
    NASA, ESA etc.. will one day all disappear to be reokaced with a global space agency.
     
  6. Enow

    Enow Lieutenant Red Shirt

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    If the first two world wars didn't do it, what makes you think a third one would? Is it the old saying, "Three time's the charm"? Then I can understand where you are coming from as far as how Star Trek Universe comes into being, but again, reality does paint a different picture.

    I somehow believe that in Star Trek Enterprise episode "In the Mirror Darkly, " that would be the mentality of the people of earth at that time when survival, looking out for number one, and having the upper hand in all things like power is how anyone thinks they are going to get ahead.

    However, in this reality, Biblical prophesies foretells one third of the earth burning up, and that was just to serve as a catalyst for the NWO and their mark of the beast system. Survival will be all that those people will be thinking about, and yet by adapting that mentality to be united with one cause, Star Trek is still no where in the picture. But there will be a gathering of the armies of the remaining parts of the world to battle the Lord upon His return with the saints at the end of the great tribulation period. ( Which is seven years, starting when they give the command to build the Third Temple in Jerusalem. )

    They are already adapting the technology for the mark of the beast system, and that is the biochip to buy and sell in Europe. The biochip is being used elsewhere for medical information like in Mexico and security purposes in companies like GPS tagging. It is not the mark of the beast system yet, until the bio chips becomes the only means to buy & sell in this NWO, thus killing off those that refuse the mark because of the Biblical warning from God that those that take the mark are destined for the lake of fire.

    Maybe the Lord will have His people trekking the stars when Satan and death has been done away with forever after they have been cast into the lake of fire. There is nothing in Biblical prophesies about that, but who knows? God only knows.

    It's time like these that it wouldn't hurt for fans of Star Trek to do a little research on what direction the world is going and how it is lining up with Biblical prophesies. Maybe they will look as I do in the direction higher than the heavens to Heaven above and the hope of us getting there will not be by a starship, but by the hope in the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ as it is His righteousness and His faithfulness that is bringing us there for all those that believe and put their trust in Him.

    So... maybe Star Trek may happen when mankind is no longer broken and thus in no need of the Saviour, because they are saved and free to roam the universe for they will never be apart from Him.

    Christians can dream after all.:)

    Course, this is in according to my faith on how Star Trek could be, but I just don't see it happening when mankind is not perfect yet to do that trekking through the stars. Murphy's law will more likely come into play than anything else as our fallible nature will hinder us so.
     
  7. Enow

    Enow Lieutenant Red Shirt

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    I agree that it isn't, but just commenting that even as an imagination, it could never be under the current state of mankind today.

    Thanks for the info, but I still see NASA as becoming obsolete due to the current status quo.

    Science has not found any class M planets out there which is why it should not be a priority at all in face of the debt.

    I know they had spotted some "possibilities", but it wasn't enough to send a manned crew. Unless they know for sure, they would be sending a crew there to die. I hope the astronauts would have enough common sense in a situation like that when if the scientists are convinced that it is a class M planet they were going to, then the scientists should come along for the ride. If they chicken out, then the astronauts would know that they are not really sure.

    Don't get me wrong. I like NASA, but I just don't see it going anywhere now as I see them becoming obsolete.
     
  8. BillJ

    BillJ The King of Kings Admiral

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    I'm sorry, but you people have been telling me the world is going to end tomorrow for forty-two years now. I think a really good argument could be made that the world is in the shape it's in because of religion and biblical prophesies. :rolleyes:
     
  9. Mysterion

    Mysterion Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Yup. Naive, too.

    Here's some bad news: Mankind isn't broken. There's a reason we're at the top of the food-chain, after all. We're doing what we've always done since the dawn of recorded history (and no doubt way before it started to be recorded), and probably always will (no doubt long after history has stopped being recorded). We are what we are, and it's better for all concerned if we disabuse ourselves of the notion that we're "getting better" and learn to work with what we've got. Let go of the denial and let yourself be human. For better, and often for worse it is who we are. Get used to it, and learn to use it to your advantage.
     
  10. BillJ

    BillJ The King of Kings Admiral

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    Science isn't your strong point, is it?

    We don't have the technological means to send a manned mission to another star system.
     
  11. Melakon

    Melakon Admiral In Memoriam

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    I'm sorry, but I told you what we have been told in Star Trek about the Third World War. It is not my personal opinion, yet you choose to argue as if it was.

    And since you seem to be more concerned with biblical prophecy than the information we're given in Star Trek, I'm not inclined to continue this discussion. You obviously have no idea where I'm coming from at all.

    I apologize to everyone else for including the poster's lengthy rebuttal with few words in reply; I generally prefer not to do that.
     
  12. iguana_tonante

    iguana_tonante Admiral Admiral

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    lol
     
  13. Enow

    Enow Lieutenant Red Shirt

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    Well, I disagree. Even though I see what you mean by civilized advancement, but it seems that whatever empire is ruling the age at that time in our historical past, it was susceptible to moral decay from within and eventual collapsed. I see the age of America falling and soon, not just by what I see going on around me but in Biblical prophesies too, but that is only from how I see it with God's help.

    I'm not so sure about that. Granted, there are still active outgoing people in our society, but the trend I am seeing that even extroverts are utilizing technology more as an escape rather than a means to maintain social connections.

    Oh, I agree, but that is not the trend I am seeing. That is why I see it worse if the Star Trek Universe ever came into being.

    I was referring to the Star Trek Universe being worse in taking security measures.

    Look at Person of Interest TV show. Look at what is being done by our government now.

    Can you really believe that there is no high tech surveilance devise in your television and in any other product which was made in China? Think how the thirteen colonies were "betrayed" by the Cylons and go from there in how it could happen in our reality now.

    If China can do it, why not out Big Brother of a government?

    Well, thanks for sharing your optimistic view.
     
  14. Enow

    Enow Lieutenant Red Shirt

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    Yes. That is true that discontent people can rise, but very little will be the answer to replace those that have been deposed.


    True.

    That is the general theme even though "tolerance" is more of the practise than actually accepting others in ST.

    It could happen, but how it could happen is key. Our present reality says to me that it is not going to happen.
     
  15. BillJ

    BillJ The King of Kings Admiral

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    No I don't. But if there is and the government wants to watch me scratch my ass and grope the missus, more power to them.

    I tend to not confuse real life with the stories I see on the magical glowing box.
     
  16. Misfit Toy

    Misfit Toy Caped Trek Mod Admiral

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    "Reality" and "biblical prophesies" are mutually exclusive terms.
     
  17. Amaris

    Amaris Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Your idea of god is flawed and antiquated. I have no need of it, or its draconian bloodlust. It has my permission, however, to continue steering clear of Star Trek, because though the universe in which Star Trek exists is also fantasy, it's an optimistic one, unlike the concept of a god that requires suffering and death as its price. That is a fantasy of which I, nor any other person of compassion, have no use.
     
  18. Enow

    Enow Lieutenant Red Shirt

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    Yeah. It can sound like a broken record, but that is only because christians have been seeing how present day events are coming together with Biblical prophesies that we can only hope God is working to help those that seek the truth to see how it is at the door to turn to Jesus Christ for help to be ready to escape the hour of trial that shall try all upon the earth which is the great tribulation.

    Many believers think all christians will be taken up at the pre tribulational rapture but that's Hollywood rendition of it. There will be many believers having His seal that will not be found abiding in Him and will be left behind at that time because that is when God will judge His House first if they want to be honest with the scriptures in all that is said about what is involved at the pretribulational rapture event.

    I would agree with making that argument about the shape of the world being in is because of religion, but just because some errant believers have made christianity a religion of what man can do, doesn't mean that is the christianity which is the Good News that was being preached to the world.

    I fail to see how Biblical prophesies had any hand in the shaping of the world. I can see how it was misused by cults, but hardly an effect on shaping the world for what it is in now.

    Course, if you are referring to "Muslims" prophesies, you got me there, but John 16:1-3 proves "to me" that they do not know Him at all.
     
  19. BillJ

    BillJ The King of Kings Admiral

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    If God isn't there for all of his children whether they accept him or not, whether they follow the path he supposedly put before them or not then he is no God of mine.

    It's like a parent rejecting a child because they don't agree with the choices they made.

    I'd much rather have some lakefront property on the Lake of Fire.
     
  20. Enow

    Enow Lieutenant Red Shirt

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    Interesting. One could say that this is the mentality of the people in Star Trek: Enterprise "In the Mirror Darkly".

    I'm not sure you would want to stick with that though. Perhaps you may want to modify that notion. Surely you can see child molesters, alcoholics, and rapists as evidence of mankind being broken since they can ascribe to your description of just being who they are. What seems like an advantage may actually be a worsening condition of mankind as they will get worse and worse.