I was going to post in one of the other numerous timeline threads, but, instead of arguing about whether the Prime Trek timeline still exists or not, or whether they actually time travelled at all or simply side-stepped one reality to another, already different one with spiffier tech, I'd rather start a discussion of the realistic implications of the movie's events on the various Trek societies.
I wonder what the socio-political implications would be, if word of what had really happened (assuming they both time travelled and formed an alternate reality) became common knowledge.
Realizing that you're only one of a potentially infinite number of variant yous, how could you not question whether another you had made better choices, done greater things? Cases of depression would skyrocket. Fatalism could take over or anarchy. Why bother trying to be all you can be when some other you's already been there and done that? Get drunk and punch out your jerk of a boss. Kick out that nagging spouse and pick up some hot piece of ass. Live fast and loose, let the other you save for the future.
Nations wouldn't be immune, either: yeah, you lost that war or got screwed on that trade deal, or agreed to not develop cloaking devices in exchange for the other guy maybe, sorta, kinda sometimes not trying to start another war with you, but somewhere out there you didn't and it was awesome and damn why not here, too?
The potential for time travel offers only the potential for better things. Alternate realities with divergent timelines offers proof that those better things are not only attainable, but already exist, you're just not benefiting from them - some other shlub is, and his wang is longer, too!
Perhaps this event is what causes the Temporal Cold War in the Alt Timeline. Surely an arms race would break out to identify and acquire Red Matter, then the question would become who dares to use it first and what exactly the point of it all would be. Apparently, you can't go back in time within your own timeline with this particular variation on Trek time travel, but you can screw with someone else's timeline to try for something better or just tag along with one already going better than yours.
Maybe a permanent two-way link could be established? The Klingons could make an alliance with ... the Klingons and decide to dump one reality to focus on the other and steamroll their enemies.
I wonder what the socio-political implications would be, if word of what had really happened (assuming they both time travelled and formed an alternate reality) became common knowledge.
Realizing that you're only one of a potentially infinite number of variant yous, how could you not question whether another you had made better choices, done greater things? Cases of depression would skyrocket. Fatalism could take over or anarchy. Why bother trying to be all you can be when some other you's already been there and done that? Get drunk and punch out your jerk of a boss. Kick out that nagging spouse and pick up some hot piece of ass. Live fast and loose, let the other you save for the future.
Nations wouldn't be immune, either: yeah, you lost that war or got screwed on that trade deal, or agreed to not develop cloaking devices in exchange for the other guy maybe, sorta, kinda sometimes not trying to start another war with you, but somewhere out there you didn't and it was awesome and damn why not here, too?
The potential for time travel offers only the potential for better things. Alternate realities with divergent timelines offers proof that those better things are not only attainable, but already exist, you're just not benefiting from them - some other shlub is, and his wang is longer, too!
Perhaps this event is what causes the Temporal Cold War in the Alt Timeline. Surely an arms race would break out to identify and acquire Red Matter, then the question would become who dares to use it first and what exactly the point of it all would be. Apparently, you can't go back in time within your own timeline with this particular variation on Trek time travel, but you can screw with someone else's timeline to try for something better or just tag along with one already going better than yours.
Maybe a permanent two-way link could be established? The Klingons could make an alliance with ... the Klingons and decide to dump one reality to focus on the other and steamroll their enemies.
