Are Ferengi Values A Satire Of Modern HumAn Society?

[Truth_Seeker]

I've been thinking that the portrayal of Ferengi in all of Trek shows is sometimes very similar to the modern capitalistic society that we live in or what it might become in the future. For example the "Rules Of Aquisition" remind me of those annoying "How To Become A Millionaire" books that we see everywhere these days. We can also see the obsession with money making every time we visit a casino or watch some brainless TV game.

Have you noticed any other examples showing a similarity between humAn and Ferengi society?

 

[CorporalClegg]

I think more simply: American plutocratic cronyism.

 

[John200]

I hope we never get that bad.

 

[scotpens]

The Ferengi are an extreme, exaggerated version of a purely capitalistic society. I always figured they were the creation of politically left-leaning writers who distrust capitalism, free markets, and the profit motive on principle. Did Trek TNG ever satirize the negative aspects of socialism, a la Atlas Shrugged? I don't think so.

BTW, some people have accused the Ferengi of being Jewish caricatures. I'm Jewish, and I don't see the resemblance.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

The humans would never codify their greed into a widely-read book with rules to determine how that greed is used. That places greed in the realm of control by the people- it opens your greed up to evaluation, as in, is your greed in keeping with our shared cultural standards? Moralists and the public then have the ability to control and guide your greed. No, the greedy are accountable only to themselves, and would never admit to their greed. Humans never insist greed is good the way Ferengi do, because that lessens the ability to use greed to gain power, control and resources. In human society, the rich plutocrats, the government officials, etc, embrace their greed secretly, insisting they're doing good or they need our money for whatever purpose that will "help society" or that they're offering a "vital service" (if they're government) or a "good service" (if they're just capitalist corporations). They advertise (manipulate the public), cheat, twist facts and outright lie, but they'd never, ever write a widely-published book highlighting and placing controls on greed.

So no, I don't think Ferengi are our modern societies- they're far more open and so far less dangerous in their greed.

 

[FormerLurker]

The thing about the Ferengi is that while their society manifests as a greedy capitalistic hegemony dedicated to the acquisition(there's that word) of wealth, they actually see the wealth as just the means to their true end; the acquisition of stuff. They're a society of packrats. Remember how Quark was jealous of his cousin because he owned a moon? It wasn't because he was wealthy enough to own one, it was because he actually did own one. The prize to the Ferengi isn't money, it's the things that money can get for them. Money is just a means to an end.

 

[22 Stars]

^ FormerLurker I'm gonna have to disagree with you on this. It's pretty clear that latinum (and yes the things that latinum can buy) are the highest form of status in Ferengi culture, but it all comes down to "wealth", tha ability to buy things. No Ferengi worth his salt would applaud a man who owns a Moon, but who is bankrupt for example. He would simply see that as a business opportunity to part said man with his valuable (if the moon truly is valuable).

 

[Xerxes1979]

I think a good case can be made for packratism in the Ferengi pysche. Look at all the junk they packed into what seemed like a very small building.

I haven't watched the full episode in quite some time but I didn't get the impression that the Ferengi in "False Profits" enaged directly in many business transactions or hosted dinner parties while conducting religious extortion.

 

[Lor'Vela]

I hope that when Quark and and the DS9 writers on interviews said that the Ferengi are a lot like present day humans, I hope he didn't mean the entire human civilization.

 

[CorporalClegg]

^
Why not? Like it or not, it really isn't far from the truth.

 

[The Laughing Vulcan]

TNG and the Ferengi debuted in 1987, the same year that Wall Street came out in cinemas. It's a pretty simple link to make.

 

[indolover]

Most Trek species are allegories of real life, in some sense. Klingons are based on Japanese bushido. Ferengi are a caricature of capitalists.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Most Trek species are allegories of real life, in some sense. Klingons are based on Japanese bushido. Ferengi are a caricature of capitalists.

Nah, real Klingons are based on Totalitarian dictatorships.

 

[FormerLurker]

^ FormerLurker I'm gonna have to disagree with you on this. It's pretty clear that latinum (and yes the things that latinum can buy) are the highest form of status in Ferengi culture, but it all comes down to "wealth", tha ability to buy things. No Ferengi worth his salt would applaud a man who owns a Moon, but who is bankrupt for example. He would simply see that as a business opportunity to part said man with his valuable (if the moon truly is valuable).

Clearly wealth is a major part of it, but do you really think that being able to boast that one has a huge pile of latinum is more important to a Ferengi than being able to boast that their huge pile of latinum is so huge they've been able to buy a crapload of stuff and still have some left over? And that they have the business sense to make enough more that they're going to buy even more stuff?

 

[Rush Limborg]

Some guy actually had the audacity to say that the Ferengi were Americans in the Reagan Era.

Trust me. It's just a parody. I can just imagine Quark looking at the '80s and saying, "Oh, PLEASE. If that's your Decade Of Greed...I shudder to think what you consider charity!"



BTW...Gordon Gekko would eat the entire Ferengi Alliance for lunch! To wit:

"Well, ladies and gentlemen, we're not here to indulge in fantasy, but in political and economic reality. Ferenginar...Ferenginar has become a second-rate power. Its trade deficit and its fiscal deficit are at nightmare proportions.​

Why? Well, it's because these squirming minions feel free to cheat and lie, and steal and exploit--and make no bones about it, that hurts their business a lot more than it helps. No one...do you hear me?--no one...does business with corporate bureaucrats, whom they fear are just gonna shaft'em!​

The law...of "aquisition" in corporate Ferenginar seems to be survival of the unfittest. Well, in my book you either do it right...or you get eliminated."​