Well, one of the show writers, that is.
What are all the possible outcomes?
a) Feds are gods/demons
b) Feds are magical
c) Feds are just people like us with cool machines
d) Feds are imaginary
etc.
a) Feds are gods/demons
b) Feds are magical
c) Feds are just people like us with cool machines
d) Feds are imaginary
etc.
e) Feds turn the world into a Gangster Planet
f) Feds turn the world into a Nazi Planet
g) Feds use phasers to support one side of a war so they can steal the fountain of youth.
h) Feds kidnap everyone in a holoship so they can steal the fountain of youth.
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I was thinking about two different points I made earlier in this thread and how they might relate.
My original post expressed admiration for the way Picard would arbitrate debates with an open-mind and recognize the validity of both sides' arguments. He understood that differences of opinion, and determinations of right versus wrong, were often the result of different perspectives.
Might that disposition explain his devotion to the Prime Directive, at least when it comes to respecting the customs and laws of alien civilizations? If we're talking about social, political or judicial debates on an alien planet, Picard would recognize that the aliens were coming at the issue from a different and unrelatable perspective -- a perspective informed by their own unique experiences and distinct values that would be unknowable to a human. Who was he to judge the validity of their position?
(Obviously this wouldn't apply to situations where alien worlds were threatened with environmental calamity and the PD prevented Starfleet from acting, which is why I set that aside and focused on situations where Picard was urged to intervene in the domestic affairs of a planet.)
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That makes a lot of sense. Plus as a student of history he was very aware of what happens when people assume that more advanced technology also means a superior culture and way of life, and believe that its their place to bring their 'more enlightened' civilisation to the primitives.
I think we could've gotten some better debates on the subject in the episodes themselves though!
I think we could've gotten some better debates on the subject in the episodes themselves though!
100% agree. I was going to make that same point but figured my post was already too long.
I would argue that "Symbiosis," while a mediocre episode of TNG, is an example of the Prime Directive working. Picard, in the end, decides to strictly apply the Prime Directive and, by doing so, the two societies are actually forced into a scenario where the exploitation of one group by another will likely end.
When I first saw the episode (back in 1988!), I was stunned. I didn't expect his decision, but it was wise.
The 30,000-foot view neatly disposed of empathy for suffering individuals, there. Crusher knew Picard was wrong.
But Geordi assuaged everyone's qualms by suggesting they go for ice cream, and soon the world was right again.
Sounds like that extra-bad episode of LOVE BOAT when Marcia Brady smiled her way out of her terminal illness for the epilogue. Not that there's anything TREK with that, except for the similar approach Dennis mentioned.
I) Feds suspiciously get caught spying on us
J) Feds try to enlist one faction of an ununited planet
K) Feds stupidly get mixed up in our unlawful imprisonment scheme
L) Feds barely figure out how to talk to us without getting us all killed
This is fun
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