Best trek lines, good or evil

[at Quark's]

Depends upon how you interpret 'evolved'. Perhaps we have grown up in a society where we know other religions exist as well and that not all these other religions (or even those *gasp* withouth religion) are evil or devil-worshipers, so I guess in some respects we have become perhaps a bit more tolerant. But not in others. There are still plenty of things that carry social stigma with them, rightly so or not.

Also, take our current luxuries away, make it a fight to survive again and then let's see how much of our 'evolved sensibilities' survive.

 

[Nyotarules]

Well...I think it was a case that Humanity had evolved to the point where we had stopped discriminating each other based on the color of our skin & gender, and no longer had warred with each other over religion or territory. But even as far back as "Encounter At Farpoint," Q was challenging Picard if Humans were truly as evolved as he claimed. Had Humans truly rid itself of all its shortcomings and bad tendencies? The answer was ultimately no, but that they were still a work in progress, IMO.

And humans always will be. We don't say the British are evolved because they stopped discriminating based on regional territory e.g No more Wars of the Roses, and the last civil war was over 400 years, longer than the period between now and the fictional Trek TNG era.
The early TNG view of humanity was based on someone on too much LDS...

 

[fireproof78]

The early TNG view of humanity was based on someone on too much LDS...

The Church of Latter Day Saints pushes evolved humanity?

 

[C.E. Evans]

And humans always will be. We don't say the British are evolved because they stopped discriminating based on regional territory e.g No more Wars of the Roses, and the last civil war was over 400 years, longer than the period between now and the fictional Trek TNG era.
The early TNG view of humanity was based on someone on too much LDS...

I think a lot of it comes down to the sometimes condescending terminology that Picard and a few others used to compare themselves with Humans of a few centuries ago. Otherwise, early TNG still had Humans making bad decisions, committing crimes, and screwing each other over. The personal goals may have changed over the centuries (I need to steal a starship!), but Humanity still really wasn't where some claimed it was from the get-go. Q putting Humanity on trial was really to prove that, IMO.

 

[at Quark's]

I think a lot of it comes down to the sometimes condescending terminology that Picard and a few others used to compare themselves with Humans of a few centuries ago.

Yes.

Although, I'm curious how our ancestors would have responded to our less flattering comments on them that weren't necessarily 100% accurate ('bunch of smelly superstitious ignorant peasants that didn't hesitate to go to war over minor religious differences').

 

[C.E. Evans]

Yes.

Although, I'm curious how our ancestors would have responded to our less flattering comments on them that weren't necessarily 100% accurate ('bunch of smelly superstitious ignorant peasants that didn't hesitate to go to war over minor religious differences').

They'd probably regard some of us the same way some of us regard some 24th-Century Humans--possibly arrogant, holier-than-thou types that have forgotten that their stinks too.

 

[fireproof78]

Yes.

Although, I'm curious how our ancestors would have responded to our less flattering comments on them that weren't necessarily 100% accurate ('bunch of smelly superstitious ignorant peasants that didn't hesitate to go to war over minor religious differences').

Arrogant SOBs.

See also Hawkeye in MASH who always thought he was above the military.

 

[FredH]

I think it’s worth remembering that, while all the “evolved humanity” stuff from early TNG may across now (and then!) as annoyingly smug, it’s aspirational — the show wanted future humanity to be better than us, and for present-humanity to collectively strive to become that. That may be naive, or seem so in 2024, but it’s admirable— I can’t fault the heart behind it.

 

[fireproof78]

I think it’s worth remembering that, while all the “evolved humanity” stuff from early TNG may across now (and then!) as annoyingly smug, it’s aspirational — the show wanted future humanity to be better than us, and for present-humanity to collectively strive to become that. That may be naive, or seem so in 2024, but it’s admirable— I can’t fault the heart behind it.

Of course I can't fault the heart behind, but it's only admirable in that it is better. But, it's arrogant to look down on people and say "Screw you. You're not there yet" without even attempting to offer a hand up. It's like looking at a child and saying "Why can you understand how to handle adult problems?" and punishing them for not being at an adult level. It's condescending at best, and cruelty at worst.

Smugness is not a trait I find aspirational.

 

[Commander Troi]

SPOCK: Indeed, gentlemen. May I point out that I had an opportunity to observe your counterparts here quite closely. They were brutal, savage, unprincipled, uncivilized, treacherous; in every way, splendid examples of homo sapiens, the very flower of humanity. I found them quite refreshing.
KIRK: I'm not sure, but I think we've been insulted.
MCCOY: I'm sure.
- from Mirror Mirror