Timewalker: But where is the line drawn at allowing ordinary citizens to replicate harmful substances/stuff? I know someone who is deathly allergic to garlic, but gets higher than a kite on cinnamon. And in spite of Tasha's speech to Wesley about drugs, it's difficult to believe that NOBODY on Earth has a drug habit or other harmful addiction of some sort. True. But one could make the argument one of the main contributors to folks getting on drugs is economics. That kind of goes by the wayside with replicators. I just don't think Earth achieves the utopian goal with out that technology. Didn't they have technology built in to the replicators that made it so that certain stuff couldn't be replicated? Money (I think we learned that in TNG) etc...
Commander Troi in season 3, did not have the security clearance to replicate REAL chocolate, no matter how desperate she got.
Yeah, 'cause there are no rich people with drug habits. That doesn't actually state she doesn't have the clearance. The computer offers her the choice of overriding the program, so she must have the authority to do that if she wants. Of course, that would probably result in a negative note in her medical records. I wonder if someone could get kicked out of Starfleet for eating too much chocolate? (even if it was the healthy kind)
As you've sort of touched upon, the very fact that there is even a 'New Zealand Penal Colony' at all indicates that 24th century human society still has social problems to deal with. I mean, I assume Tom Paris ain't using those showers all on his lonesome down there. It does open up sinister overtones to the Star Trek universe, though. What if you're an outcast who refuses to "go with the flow"? What if you are driven by selfish interests, you do covet material possessions, you do everything that humanity is supposed to have "evolved" away from? What do the Feds do with you? Do they come for you in the middle of the night? Tie you down to a machine at a rehab facility, and send you out into the community again 'fully cured' and "able to make a valuable contribution to society"? (But only because, you 'want' to.)
Cassidy Yates works as a freighter Captain in Alien space for cash. After the Federation assimilates Bajor, she is going to move on to where she can earn and reap the benefits of earning. Will the Bajorans be happy about the woman taking her magic baby with her?
A utopia /juːˈtoʊpiə/ is a community or society possessing highly desirable or near perfect qualities. Teacake, your revelation is deep and wide...in some ways, the Star Trek life is reflected here in the UAE, more for Nationals than Ex-Pats, but some for both...as an American, I do not worry about mortgages or taxes or related financial instruments...my money goes home to needs there, so I really do not "see" much currency, save that which I need for food and recreation... ...the point is, I am free to work and explore and assist the education improvement effort here...much as I would be free in the Star Trek world to pursue intellectual and social improvement, individually and as a team...it is about as multicultural as it can get here, and there is also an element of time travel, in that a significant portion of the Arab population is still steeped and practiced in traditions and efforts we might deem archaic or backward... ...as to your revelation about Effort,you could not be more correct...here the Nationals want for nothing, and achieve incredible engineering, transport, social, medical and geographic wonders, and I believe it is because they are free to muse and envision and experiment and DO... ...One Ring rules them all here, in a way...do not mistake me, there are gaps and procedures we would probably not welcome...one ruler to each Emirate and One Ring to bind them (the President)...he/they say "do it" and it is done...not like the Star Trek world, to be sure, but some of the structure and freedom is similar...and yes, there is currency and renumeration here, but it is truly (mostly) a tool to create more for the society and the system... ...I believe your revelation that "...people would be more excited about working to better the world if that work wasn't tied to their own financial and personal security" ...there are security concerns in the region, to be sure, but the areas that I am comparing to your revelation are, though maybe what we would not call Utopia, safe and secure and supportive of the above prose...people ARE excited to work and better the world here in so many different ways, and I think your revelation is also a portend...
Yes the rape gangs weren't earth and the ruling perfect class of the UAE isn't the foreigners from third world countries they pay to clean their houses. In the future everything gets sonically cleaned and menial labor is tricky tech work where eyes are needed so not menial at all. It's not people that have evolved it's how controlled society is on earth that's evolved. But Picard etc.. have drunk the root beer and absolutely believe all this civilization is in their DNA rather than a product of their freedom from material needs and ability to make earth inhospitable to those that don't meet the standards required for that freedom. Of course brainwashing a whole species into thinking they have evolved into nice people marks the culture and being nice people is now seen as the default, so would have a positive effect behavior.
Quoting teacake's words having to do with describing a kind of utopian society..."rape gangs."....not sure where you are getting that...???
That's what holodecks are for. Barclay did very bad things to holo-Riker, very bad. Seriously, though, how much is Federation society moving toward the Talosian ideal (and fear) where machinery, robots, and holo-technology are taking away the need to work in the 24th century?
Not enough people "gave" their utility freely and the economy failed. But then it could have "failed" for a lot of reasons right down to crop failure or weather issues, or meteor strike. But remember, Earth and the Federation did not step in quickly before most of the population was terrorized and possibly eaten.
That's what comes of not having a forward thinking leader who prepares for the survival of the better, more evolved members of the society.
...be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em. Thy Fates open their hands. Let thy blood and spirit embrace them.
Not a revelation. But the Bad guy who the Romulans know about that the Federation is in the dark about are the Hirogen because their hunting grounds do extend to the far end of Romulan Space form the Federation side.