A Hidden BOBW Reference?

[Rhody the Ram]

In this past Sunday's Hartford [Connecticut, USA] Courant, there was an opinion piece about a proposal to merge two area hospitals. Within the article, the author wrote this:

Second, the impropriety of privatizing a public asset — without recompense, and with a confused notion of mission — should be clear. Leaders of the University of Connecticut have apparently decided that resistance to Hartford Hospital is futile, and that an exit from the hospital business will save political conflict. Of course it will save conflict — if they give in to the main source of that conflict, namely the protests of powerful private-sector competitors.

I'm not suggesting that this was a "hidden" intentional reference to TNG. But do you think this was inspired by the Borg line and perhaps stuck in the writer's mind until he used it here? I've never seen the line used in non-Trek context. Has anyone else?

 

[JNG]

LOL

It's certainly possible! I can't say for sure how often that phrase was used prior to its appearance in Trek, but it has certainly been popularized and may well have consciously or unconsciously entered the mind of the writer that way.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

I think it has been popularized...that wouldn't be the only time I've heard it in a non-Trek context--damned if I could remember exactly WHERE, though...

 

[WillsBabe]

It's funny you should bring this up. I heard the phrase "resistance is futile" or a slight variation of it somewhere the other day. It may even have been on a tv news item.

 

[Boy Wonder]

They've used it on some TV commercial and one politician in Australia is called Lawrence Springborg and there have been many jokes and puns such as "Bring back the Borg" and "The Borg is Back". Even stickers have been made apparently.

 

[Christopher]

The phrase "resistance is futile/useless" was around before the Borg were created. At the very least, "Resistance is useless!" was a meme used by Douglas Adams for the Vogon guard in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (dating back to the original 1978 radio series), and I believe he was parodying the use of similar phrases by various Doctor Who monsters.

 

[Lynx]

I wouldn't be surprised if the phrase was a reference to Star Trek. I run into Star Trek references from time to time in my daily life and I don't even live in the US or any country where English is the prime language.

 

[Whoa Nellie]

A few years back when my son was a toddler I was watching "The Wiggles" with him on TV. This was long after Star Trek First Contact came out. In this particular episode they were doing a space theme and had a woman dressed up as a cutesy alien (silver or green body paint with a 'Jetson' styled dress). When she knocked on the Wiggles door and didn't get an answer she said the "Resistance is futile" line. I about fell off the couch laughing.

Warmest Wishes,
Whoa Nellie

 

[USS Triumphant]

I am reminded of "Best of Both Worlds" every time my daughter watches Hannah Montana. Now if only Miley would get assimilated.

 

[skeeter291]

Oh, that is just too funny!

 

[NCC74894A]

The phrase "resistance is futile/useless" was around before the Borg were created. At the very least, "Resistance is useless!" was a meme used by Douglas Adams for the Vogon guard in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (dating back to the original 1978 radio series), and I believe he was parodying the use of similar phrases by various Doctor Who monsters.

And in The Empire Strikes Back, at one point during the Cloud City lightsaber fight (just before "I am your father", in fact, IIRC) Vader says something to this effect to Luke: "You are beaten... it is useless to resist!"

 

[Rhody the Ram]

A few years back when my son was a toddler I was watching "The Wiggles" with him on TV. This was long after Star Trek First Contact came out. In this particular episode they were doing a space theme and had a woman dressed up as a cutesy alien (silver or green body paint with a 'Jetson' styled dress). When she knocked on the Wiggles door and didn't get an answer she said the "Resistance is futile" line. I about fell off the couch laughing.

Warmest Wishes,
Whoa Nellie

I always knew The Wiggles were slightly Borg-like!

 

[Tomalak]

I think it has been popularized...that wouldn't be the only time I've heard it in a non-Trek context--damned if I could remember exactly WHERE, though...

The Cybermen used it on the moon in 1966, along with the immortal line, "Clever, clever, clever".

 

[Zulu Romeo]

It's funny you should bring this up. I heard the phrase "resistance is futile" or a slight variation of it somewhere the other day. It may even have been on a tv news item.

The phrase "Resistance is futile" is now used to currently advertise a certain brand of cheese.

It seems resistance to using the phrase "resistance is futile" is, indeed, futile.

 

[Hartzilla2007]

It's funny you should bring this up. I heard the phrase "resistance is futile" or a slight variation of it somewhere the other day. It may even have been on a tv news item.

The phrase "Resistance is futile" is now used to currently advertise a certain brand of cheese.

It seems resistance to using the phrase "resistance is futile" is, indeed, futile.

Or the Borg own the company selling the certain brand of cheese.

 

[WHF]

The phrase "resistance is futile/useless" was around before the Borg were created. At the very least, "Resistance is useless!" was a meme used by Douglas Adams for the Vogon guard in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (dating back to the original 1978 radio series), and I believe he was parodying the use of similar phrases by various Doctor Who monsters.

Indeed, a couple of years earlier "resistance is futile" was used in the Space:1999 episode "The Dorcons".