Is Kathryn Janeway a good representation of a Federation human?

[BohandiAnsoid]

Many discussions were held about Janeway, and about her character. She is one of the most controversial and spoken about characters in Star Trek. But most discussion I saw was about whether she is a good person, a good captain or if she was written well. And, while this overlap somewhat, I want to ask you another thing: is she a good representation of 24th Federation human? And all 3 parts of it are important here.

Janeway, like most humans of the Federation 24th century, is a pure scientist. She doesn't seem to believe in supernatural powers, or at least would not unless every other option is exhausted. This is in contrast to Bajoran Kira Nerys or (it is canon, but not shown much) Ocampa Kes. But she does have an ethical code, even if she is willing to bend or even break it if the situation calls for it.

Episode Tuvok is spoken about many times. But I have a feeling the events affected Janeway a lot and made her less willing to do such things again. She did not kill the developing drone in “Drone”, despite it being a possible risk to her ship. And she directly told Seven in “Prey”: “It is wrong to sacrifice another being to save our own lives.”. I think this may be a sign of Tuvix’s situation weighing heavy on her. This does make her human. A Vulcan would probably just say it was a logical decision and |”the needs of the many outweigh the needs of one”. But Janeway contradicted it,and I think it is because she has a conscience. This is a very human thing to do.

She also speaks about compassion to Seven in that episode and, while this may be something she learned from Kes, it is still a very human thing to do.

These are just a few examples, but what do you think? Do you think Janeway is a good representative of 24th century Federation humans?

 

[Pumpkin Bread]

No. Janeway is Starfleet's answer to Chuck Norris. https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/who-needs-chuck-norris-when-youve-got-kathryn-janeway.307281/

 

[at Quark's]

Impossible to say, I think.

We don't even know how representative the average person in Starfleet (whatever such a profile work out to to begin with) is for the average 24th century Federation human.

Starfleet propaganda is a bit inconsistent in that. On the one hand, we'd have to believe that all of humanity is working to better itself (captain Picard) so that would mean those inside of Starfleet resemble those outside of it, on the other hand we'd have to believe that only 'the best' make it into (and graduate from) Starfleet Academy. So what's it to be?

As far as I'm concerned, it could be that basically everyone is working hard achieving whatever goals in life he or she has, or that the large majority of humans never even care to dress on a daily basis because their replicators and holodecks at home is all they need. Or anything in between.

Well, and of course aside from the fact that Janeway clearly is a larger-than-life-figure. As are most of Our Star Trek Heroes (and the captains in particular).

 

[Lynx]

I think that she is. At least in the first three seasons of Voyager. After that the writnig for the character got weird, to say the least.

I liked Janeway in seasons 1-3. She did seem more flexible and have more compassion than Picard and Sisko who I thought were a bit wooden back then. But note that I only had seen one season of DS9 when I started to watch Voyager and had no idea about how great DS9 would be during the coming seasons.

janeway in seasons 1-3 did seem to have a lot of compassion and was always ready to help a crewmember in need. She did actually accept some of her crewmember's disobeying of orders because she knew that it those break of regulations were for a good purpose.

As such, she was a good representative of 24th century humans.

 

[WarpTenLizard]

Good as in accurate ? I imagine she fits all the stereotypes the Federation, Starfleet and Humans are known for amongst other species: bold explorer, compassionate to the needy, values cooperation, but also holier-than-though, hyperfocused on Earth and Humanity, and hypocritical about the Prime Directive.

I know that last point was more of a problem in the early seasons, before the show found its footing. But even after her writing became much more consistent in the later seasons, she could still go very left-field with her values at times. Which arguably represents the Federation perfectly.

 

[Frontis]

Imo Janeway all in all did a good job. Maybe Kirk, Picard or Sisko would have managed to get home faster but idk. Sure I didn't like all of Janeway's decicions but none of the captains was perfect...

 

[fireproof78]

I do not think she is. She is exceptional as a starship captain. As an average human I'd say probably not.

 

[Ray Hardgrit]

I think she's good at representing Federation humans, she's not wildly out of step with 24th century society. But you've got to be a little bit unusual to give up a cosy life on a planet to go serve on a dangerous starship, and people with the willpower and ability to rise to captain are even rarer.

 

[Mr. Friscus]

Many discussions were held about Janeway, and about her character. She is one of the most controversial and spoken about characters in Star Trek. But most discussion I saw was about whether she is a good person, a good captain or if she was written well. And, while this overlap somewhat, I want to ask you another thing: is she a good representation of 24th Federation human? And all 3 parts of it are important here.

Janeway, like most humans of the Federation 24th century, is a pure scientist. She doesn't seem to believe in supernatural powers, or at least would not unless every other option is exhausted. This is in contrast to Bajoran Kira Nerys or (it is canon, but not shown much) Ocampa Kes. But she does have an ethical code, even if she is willing to bend or even break it if the situation calls for it.

Episode Tuvok is spoken about many times. But I have a feeling the events affected Janeway a lot and made her less willing to do such things again. She did not kill the developing drone in “Drone”, despite it being a possible risk to her ship. And she directly told Seven in “Prey”: “It is wrong to sacrifice another being to save our own lives.”. I think this may be a sign of Tuvix’s situation weighing heavy on her. This does make her human. A Vulcan would probably just say it was a logical decision and |”the needs of the many outweigh the needs of one”. But Janeway contradicted it,and I think it is because she has a conscience. This is a very human thing to do.

She also speaks about compassion to Seven in that episode and, while this may be something she learned from Kes, it is still a very human thing to do.

These are just a few examples, but what do you think? Do you think Janeway is a good representative of 24th century Federation humans?

Yes, but in my opinion she was too tightly wound in her principles at the expense of her crew.

I've always said that if you're a Star Fleet ship who gets caught in the predicament Voyager did, doing a few things that aren't by the book would be quite understandable to Star Fleet. For example, Janeway would only deal through official channels with the race of people that had supposed technology that could them home (This was when Seska, Torres, Tuvok, and others conspired to get the technology behind Janeway's back). Regardless of finding out that the technology was incompatible, the fact that Janeway couldn't get over her principles to simply do a "black market" deal for a technology exchange is completely ridiculous in my opinion. She can claim she's acting in an elevated moral code, but it was a selfish move on her part.

If the technology was compatible, and they performed the mutiny that got them home by the next day... I'd have no problems ignoring any whining and pontificating from Janeway as she was dragged home kicking and screaming LOL.

 

[Honshu]

<opinion disclaimer> in force.
Keep in mind that I have seen only 3 seasons of Voyager and that I am busy binge watching it now! I had babies and toddlers at the time of initial release and missed it.

Captain Janeway as a regular citizen would probably be a bit too rigid and not socially well attuned. But as a Starfleet officer, she enforces the most discipline, including on herself, that she can realistically obtain in such a perilous situation. Those are perfect storm conditions for a mutiny, and she knows it. She goes for the long game.

Captain Janeway succeeds at a remarkable balancing act of not only managing the ship and the crew, but also being very conscious that Voyager is an ambassador, a representative for the Federation wherever it goes, and that therefore the ends cannot always justify the means.
She is very adept at defending the ship and its crew but always leery of running roughshod to get her way through or to obtain supplies and materials.
(In her place I would have counted to three and then eradicated all the Nistrims I could after they stole Voyager. Good on Hannibal Suder.)

The case of Tuvix was indeed a very good illustration of "the good of the many outweighs the good of one", but it was also a lesson in consequences of letting too much ambiguity fester if/when the situation can ill afford it. It was boldly grey with no escape to white or black, and for that I thought the writers outdid themselves. Captain Janeway chose the good of the many and accepted the full weight of this fateful decision. Respect for not only taking the decision but for carrying it through.

That being said, the writers could have chosen this scenario to explore the concept of joined species in greater depth. It was an episode with immense potential. But! For now, it feels like each episode was written as a standalone, and like all the characters, except maybe the doctor, are "reset" at the beginning of each episode.

If we ever have a 24th century with officers like Kathryn Janeway, we'll be in better shape than I think we actually will be.