Is it time to put Star Trek to rest?

[Ragitsu]

Starfleet has always been corrupt. The sheer number of renegade Captains and Admirals is all the proof we need.

Then again, in any series, we are only witnessing a handful of each of the most dramatic (some would say "exciting") moments in The United Federation of Planets' day-to-day operations; it would be safe to say it oftentimes functions as intended.

 

[Starflight]

Starfleet has always been corrupt. The sheer number of renegade Captains and Admirals is all the proof we need.

I don't think you're supposed to assume Ron Tracy et al are more representative of the Federation than Kirk is.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Starfleet has always been corrupt. The sheer number of renegade Captains and Admirals is all the proof we need.

A corrupt institution would likely not promote, much less retain, officers like Kirk and Spock, who recognize individuals like Tracey and Cartwright as criminals and bring them to justice.

Why are there so many antagonists in the ranks? Drama, obviously. But if absolute power does corrupt absolutely, then it's to be expected that corruption would be a recurring problem that Starfleet would always have to be on guard against.

That doesn't mean that the institution is corrupt per se. At least, that's not how I would put it. I would say simply that the temptation to play god comes with the territory.

 

[Farscape One]

And considering just how large an organization Starfleet is, the bad ones we DO see is a tiny, tiny fraction of everyone else, who seem to be competant and the good guys.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

A corrupt institution would likely not promote, much less retain, officers like Kirk and Spock, who recognize individuals like Tracey and Cartwright as criminals and bring them to justice.

Why are there so many antagonists in the ranks? Drama, obviously. But if absolute power does corrupt absolutely, then it's to be expected that corruption would be a recurring problem that Starfleet would always have to be on guard against.

That doesn't mean that the institution is corrupt per se. At least, that's not how I would put it. I would say simply that the temptation to play god comes with the territory.

The fact that the assumed best of the best--those who wanted to take the Starfleet leadership career path--still took a head-first dive into the pool of corruption speaks to a problem of nature common to many, but it has not been burned out of human tendencies as some ST fans were conned into believing (especially in the 70's convention years and the Berman era). While no one champions corruption, the trait still existing within far future humanity adds color and risk to the landscape, rather than having a characters snorting their pompously manufactured lines of human refinement above all others.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

I suppose they thought if they repeated the lie of "we're past that" often enough, it would become the truth.