The Neutral Zone, end of the Family unit?

Discussion in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' started by patweb, May 7, 2014.

  1. Vanyel

    Vanyel The Imperious Leader Premium Member

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    Everyone works, yes they do. Raising a child or children IS work even with replicators a baby needs watching 24/7. With the technology available in the future, one parent can indeed stay home with the children. Taking a sabbatical from Starfleet or other job to raise a child would not be a problem.
     
  2. MacLeod

    MacLeod Admiral Admiral

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    It's not a problem today either, with parents granted maternal and/or parental leave for X weeks, of course the length and entilements of that leave can vary from country to country.
     
  3. jimbotron

    jimbotron Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    A couple in Starfleet went on sabbatical in Brothers. They ditched their children on the Enterprise. Don't people usually take sabbaticals to spend time with family or something? They were dumped on Riker, one kid nearly killed himself, and the other was told it was all his fault. Parenting fail.
     
  4. Smellincoffee

    Smellincoffee Commodore Commodore

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    It's not my vision, but it seems to be the way the modern world is going. I took partial inspiration from the French childcare system, since the state is so strong in daily life there.
     
  5. T'Girl

    T'Girl Vice Admiral Admiral

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    The core of the franchise is adventure in outer space. The "utopian" future is a relatively small side plot within the show.

    If any of the series actually devoted itself to the depiction and exploration of a utopian society as it's primary focus, it would be doubtful such a series would remain in production for very long.

    :)
     
  6. T'Girl

    T'Girl Vice Admiral Admiral

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    (yeah i know, two in a row)

    Did any of the main characters have parents who were pointed out as not being wed?

    With some of the character it was make clear that the parents were a married couple, both having the same family name, or were referred to a husband or wife.

    In some cases it wasn't spelled out.

    But were any of the character's parents made clear to be unmarried? None immediately come to mind, this would indicate that the traditional family unit was alive and well.

    :)
     
  7. PhoenixClass

    PhoenixClass Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    Fair enough, but 24th century society is very different from ours, so the comparison is limited by what is shown on the show, whether explicitly or implicitly.
     
  8. scotpens

    scotpens Professional Geek Premium Member

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    Sorry if I'm stating the obvious, but you know there's a 24-hour window to edit or add to your own posts, right?

    Well, in TWOK there was David Marcus. But not that I recall in TNG.
     
  9. T'Girl

    T'Girl Vice Admiral Admiral

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    While the technology is of course different, the society, the social forms, don't seem really too awful different.

    And the two posts were less than three hours apart. Occasionally I don't get a EDIT button at the bottom of my postings, usually it's when I'm using a tablet in a wifi environment.

    :)
     
  10. Makarov

    Makarov Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    The typical family unit seems intact to me, judging by Picard's brother Robert and his wife & kid. Just ignore what happens to them in Generations.
     
  11. PhoenixClass

    PhoenixClass Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    I agree with you generally (at least when it comes to human families). I was just disagreeing with Smellincoffee.
     
  12. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I love what the novels have done with Ralph Offenhouse, actually:

    He is now a Federation politician. At first he was ambassador to the Ferengi - which makes perfect sense for him - and now he's the Secretary of Commerce.

    So it looks like he put his financial wizardry to good use after all! :techman:
     
  13. robau

    robau Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    Troi once referred to marriage as archaic, for what that's worth. I wonder how many actual marriages take place as opposed to two people simply having children. It's not like there's any tax incentives in the utopia. Religion doesn't seem to play much of a role either.
     
  14. T'Girl

    T'Girl Vice Admiral Admiral

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    And I would never take that away from you.



    :)
     
  15. JirinPanthosa

    JirinPanthosa Admiral Admiral

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    Let's also please not equate the 'Traditional family unit' with 'Family'. The concept of what a family means is something that comes from the people trying to build one, not something that tries to replicate some fantasy from the 1950s.

    Yes, in the 24th Century in Starfleet you probably don't see a lot of white picket fences and 2.3 children where the mother eagerly awaits the return of her husband with dinner on the table. But you have family units who mean every bit as much to each other as the people who had those white picket fences, and neither image of family is better or worse than the other.

    And, question. You see the government getting involved in child care as a bad thing, but you're totally in favor of the government deciding what constitutes marriage? I say let marriage be a personal thing totally separate from the government and offer free child care to working families.
     
  16. T'Girl

    T'Girl Vice Admiral Admiral

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    And for thousand of years before that across the world, and of course in the decades since "the 1950's".

    "Traditional family unit" refers to family in it's most commonly found forms, although (as you point out) not it sole forms.

    Personally it would be a matter of degree, for the most part it should be as minimal as possible.

    Government does (most places) decide what constitutes "legal" marriage.

    Interesting idea, you mean no official government recognition of marriage at all?

    According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, last year 20 percent of American families do not have a single person working.

    While I'm not against individuals with specific problems obtaining assistance, the idea of universal free child care would be something I wouldn't support.

    Would your idea require the child to go to a government child care facility, similar to the way in American if you want tax payer funded education your child usually has to go to a public school?

    Or would the money be tied to the child who then could be sent to a private child care provider?

    :)
     
  17. 2takesfrakes

    2takesfrakes Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Just to address the question of "why have government sanctioning marriage," there are many benefits - pertaining to tax relief and so on - that make it worthwhile to continue having Uncle Sam sign off on it.
     
  18. T'Girl

    T'Girl Vice Admiral Admiral

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    It's also easier to obtain bank loans, mortgages, car loans and low interest credit cards, if you're married. Especially if the marriage involves two stead incomes.

    (apparently it also gets your parent off your back)



    :)
     
  19. PhoenixClass

    PhoenixClass Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    What about that policy do you find objectionable?
     
  20. T'Girl

    T'Girl Vice Admiral Admiral

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    If individuals and families are capable of handling the matter, why bring in government?

    :)