Have we become the Talosians?

[Trekwatcher]

I went to "The Menagerie" in the theater last night, and, while watching this episode for, oh, the 150th time or so, I got a chill (as I have before) when Vina warned Pike of the dangers of "watching and rewatching" the "thought records left behind..." Hmmmm....

The person I saw this with had seen this episode a mere few dozen times.

The guy next to me was mouthing along with all of the words.

Have we become the Talosians?

 

[Alyssa]

i think so or else why would we buy entire series' on DVD? only so that we can watch them over and over again!

 

[Mike Have-Not]

I was thinking much the same thing when I was watching it in the theater last night. Interesting.

 

[Kegek]

How about the power of illusion that becomes like a narcotic that destroys civilization?

Yep, the Talosians were playing World of Warcraft before World of Warcraft was cool.

 

[David cgc]

On the other hand, there were people watching and rewatching (or, more accurately, reading and rereading) for as long as there have been records. At least, assuming that at least some of those giant collections of books I've seen in museums that were owned by one person weren't just for show.

 

[MadBaggins]

Re: The answer is yes

And remember that the Talosians live UNDERGROUND in the similar way as we live UNDERGROUND in our parent's basements.

 

[Maurice]

Re: The answer is yes

Well, there's a smidge of truth to this idea. How many people do you know who's primary experience with the world is through their TVs? Who sits in their living rooms in a wide-eyed alpha state absorbing the real or fictional experiences of others rather than going out and living life themselves? I mean, think about sports on TV. You *could* be out playing a game with other people. Instead, you're on your sofa watching other people doing it.

Truly a culture of voyeurism. Talos IV, indeed!

 

[22 Stars]

Re: The answer is yes

Add me to the list that at least thought this during the Menagerie screening. Even turned to my girlfried during that line of dialogue, and said 'like Trek fans...' But yes, it does work to some extent for any society that is weathy enough to have extended liesure time.

 

[Redfern]

Re: The answer is yes

Yeah, years ago I came to the conclusion that was Roddenberry's intended "message" for this story. In effect, the Talosians were the ultimate "couch potatoes". The original analogy was, obviously, "passive" television", but Vina's comments about the Talosians' "getting into" what Pike was experiencing and feeling during his induced illusions can now be compared to the technology of interactive videogames. As she pointed out, when one stops actively doing anything, that knowledge will eventually be forgotten.

I must admit I never made the comparison of "living underground" to "living in the parents' basement", the latter only being openly discussed in the last twenty years or so, but I will acknowledge the parallel. Cute!

It's a good thing the TV execs considered this story too cerebral. If they had picked up on the parable, the message, "Don't watch too much TV or it'll rot your brain," I don't think they would have financed another pilot. Trek might have "died" then and there as a single unaired episode.

Sincerely,

Bill

 

[Basill]

Re: The answer is yes

My head's not that big, and for me its cotton or nothing. But on occasion however, my blood pressure does tend to mimic that little bulgie thing in their heads when they think together.

 

[Ronald Held]

Re: The answer is yes

Not yet, but may be soon....

 

[Matt]

Kegek said:
Yep, the Talosians were playing World of Warcraft before World of Warcraft was cool.

Surely you jest. World Of Warcraft is about as cool as a bunch of Furries playing D&D on a Friday night listening to Anime soundtracks.

 

[DumbDumb2007]

Yes we have become like the Talosians. we sit and stare at the computer for hours and hours and have started to become like vegetables. As beneficial as the computer is to society in ways it has cauised harm by simplyfying things too much and making life a little too easy. This puts people out of jobs. Laws should be enacted to put curbs on what you can do and cannot do with a computer.

 

[Matt]

DumbDumb2007 said:
Laws should be enacted to put curbs on what you can do and cannot do with a computer.

Thank you Mr. Hitler.

Wait, I think he's called Mr. Bush these days. Nevermind.

 

[Nebusj]

DumbDumb2007 said:
Yes we have become like the Talosians. we sit and stare at the computer for hours and hours and have started to become like vegetables. As beneficial as the computer is to society in ways it has cauised harm by simplyfying things too much and making life a little too easy. This puts people out of jobs. Laws should be enacted to put curbs on what you can do and cannot do with a computer.

We can take this argument seriously, fortunately, because it hasn't been the exact same argument raised about every form of entertainment, every generation, and every advance in labor-saving technology ever.

 

[T'Bonz]

Let's not get personal guys.

And no, we're not the Talosians. No great mind talents like that. However, had we those kinds of powers? We might be like them, *if* we didn't utterly destroy ourselves first.

 

[Jack Bauer]

My head is big but not that big!

 

[Matt]

TBonz said:
Let's not get personal guys.

It was a joke. I was obviously not comparing him personally to two monsters who murdered millions of innocent people. It was just a joke about his comment about censorship.

 

[Ronald Held]

if we are invoking humor, what about them playing STO to be able to effectively deal with the Enterprise crew?

 

[Cary L. Brown]

Matt said:

DumbDumb2007 said:
Laws should be enacted to put curbs on what you can do and cannot do with a computer.

Thank you Mr. Hitler.

Wait, I think he's called Mr. Bush these days. Nevermind.

I love it when you say such well-thought-out things.

Yep, last time I checked the two were just identical.

Oh, wait, Hitler was leader of the NATIONAL SOCIALIST PARTY, an organization which was all about nationalizing industries, taking guns out the hands of the citizens, expanding the power of the government... oh, and he was also adamantly anti-smoking, pro-health-food (in fact, Hitler was a vegetarian, you know) and stated radically environmentalist perspectives.

He was also big on establishing what forms of speech were allowed and what ones weren't.

In fact, his bit "confiscating arms" thing was what allowed him to exercise unlimited power... the people under him had no recourse but to go along or get dragged away for saying or doing anything which those in charge of this SOCIALIST government didn't care for.

Hmmm... now, who, on the current political stage, is the closest example of a "Hitler?" Hmmm...

(Sorry, folks, but I can't let that sort of dumbshit statement go unchallenged.)