Sanctuary Districts - Accurate prediction?

[ZeNd]

I have been going back and watching ds9 again for the billionth time and I just finished Past Tense and with the current events going on these days I can definately see Sanctuary Districts coming within the next 15-20 years. Unemployment is at a all time high, there are no jobs to speak of coming in the future, and there is an increasing gap between the middle class and rich.

What do you guys thinik? I think DS9 called it right here. The timing is about right too.

 

[Kaziarl]

I am ever hopeful that the downfalls predicted in star trek won't happen. The Eugenics Wars for example seem to be off the table as that level of genetic manipulation is frowned upon by the majority. At least for now it is.

As for the Sanctuary Districts. I'm not sure it will get that bad, but there were some things that were touched upon in that episode that do look alarmingly familiar.

Today in the US, Government Agencies give out foodstamps to just about anyone. Similar to the food credits in the episode, and also with little incentive to improve ones lot in life. There are little to know programs to help with finding work, and those that do exist are most ineffective. It seems to be the general opinion that once you are to the point you need to seek out these programs, you're already a lost cause. Much like in the episode, if you're in the Sanctuary District, you're already lost to society.

I do think that there would be enough people against being penned up like that to prevent it from going that far, but there are certainly parallels to the way society is now.

 

[Fist McStrongpunch]

While these episodes were in production, the mayor of LA proposed fencing of a part of the city as a sanctuary for the homeless. So yeah, it's definitely possible.

 

[Anwar]

I doubt there'd be something like the Sanctuary Districts in the future, they'd cost too much money to maintain. And if they cut back on them and the security needed to keep the people contained the people would eventually try to escape and probably succeed.

So, not economically viable I think.

Too much improper welfare, I can see. Like Klingon Ghoul said, not enough effort put into actually helping folks find work after unemployment and more put into barely managing to support yourself IN unemployment.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

The incentives of the system are set up all wrong. You can make more money in unemployment or on welfare than in some jobs...should we be surprised that people are doing the math?

Also, we have problems with the attitude towards education in this country, and attitudes towards certain occupations. We are reluctant to do physical labor, even the most skilled labor. And everybody thinks they need to go to college, when in fact trade school would be a better move for some--and in the case of the skilled trades, can lead to a well-paying job. I know a machinist, for instance who is making almost twice what I do in a corporate job, and was told that if he took a management position, he would be taking a pay cut.

There's a whole lot of other things I could say on this subject, but I think the solution has to be twofold: fix the educational process, and fix the incentives and criteria for the welfare system.

 

[Kaziarl]

While these episodes were in production, the mayor of LA proposed fencing of a part of the city as a sanctuary for the homeless. So yeah, it's definitely possible.

Wow, I didn't know about that. What was the result if I may ask?

I know here in Portland we have an area where the homeless tend to collect. It's not cut off from the city or anything like that, just an area where they work to help each other out. Nearest thing I can think of thats similar to it are the shanty towns (i think thats what they were called) during the great depression. A group of down on their luck people trying to get by.

I think the main problem when it comes to the welfare, unemployment, and foodstamp programs is how they decide what you deserve to receive. Example: A homeless person whit 0 income here in Oregon will get $200 per month in food stamps. This is not to say they don't need it, because they do. But where it gets a little messed up in my mind is a person who has rent; say $600 a month; and electric, $30 a month is how much mine tend to run for, and makes $650 if he's lucky finds it nearly impossible to find any sort of help at all.

Now someone going to school, or trade school, or doing SOMETHING to make his life better really finds it hard because the whole system is based on an income that he never see's a dime of and isn't able to use for essential things like food. Cause I think we can all agree food is pretty important.

So, really, in some ways it makes it detrimental to try and get an education, or even a part time job.

 

[Willieck]

What is a bit scary is that from time to time I like many others ponder the social problems which we all face at the moment and find myself thinking along the lines of the sanctuary as a solution to the problem almost sub-consciously. I them pull myself up short when I think "hey that's what they did in DS9" and I try to think of something else.

It is a frightening prospect and I hope that the episode was not prophetic.

 

[Anwar]

I know what you mean, Trek has been kind of eerily accurate over stuff you'd never expect. People thought it was an idiotic idea that TV (as it was back in 1988) would no longer exist by the mid-21st century, but the way it's going now with web entertainment and on-demand programming it looks like Trek was right again.

 

[Kira Nerys]

I certainly hope not.

 

[Praxius]

It's quite possible something similar to what was in DS9's prediction could happen..... it all depends on how the government sugar coats it to the public and if they public is gullible enough to get suckered into it.

Those "Sanctuaries" are really not much different then the old Ghettos of occupied Europe during WWII.... or the old ghettos built in many western societies to house the minorities back in the 50's, 60's and 70's.

They're a quick solution to a long lasting problem..... build cheap homes, toss in the undesirables and forget about them..... it's nothing new and I doubt it'll be the last time we see such things.

------------

Want another odd Star Trek prediction?

How about the episodes following the Federation learning of Changlings being all over Earth and Starfleet...... how the paranoia increased in authorities, how they tried to pass that paranoia on to the public to justify increasing security measures and restrictions of the freedoms that made up the way of life they claimed to be protecting..... and how much of the real damage done in those episodes was done by people claiming to be on our side and looking out for our best interests, rather then the actual enemy everybody was told was really responsible?

^ That's nothing new..... but it sure does reflect a lot of what occurred in the US and other countries around the world after this whole Terrorism thing came about.

There were even a number of TNG episodes I remember that warned about these things and the risk of allowing governments to trample over individual rights.

The moment you stoop to the level of the "Enemy"...... the moment you remove freedom and rights from the individual in the name of security and protection.... the "Enemy" already won.... and if we don't keep our paranoia at bay and stick to reason and logic, then eventually we will only destroy ourselves without even needing to worry about an "Enemy"

 

[Anwar]

It's like that old Twilight Zone episode where invading aliens simply turn off the power for one night, and everything else that happens in the panic is the result of humanity. Then the aliens sit back and laugh over how we'd sooner destroy ourselves.

 

[killerbee256]

I just found this thread via google after reading stories like https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jul/10/disneyland-homeless-benches-anaheim-california or this https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jun/29/low-income-workers-rvs-palo-alto-california-homeless
In the seven years since this thread was started it is looking more and more possible that DS9's writers will be correct.

 

[BobR]

San Francisco is a prime area for it to begin. Very high "haves to have nots" divide there. Present day Boston, New Orleans and Atlanta rank very high in income inequality too but they don't have the same huge voiceless illegal immigrant underclass that SF'ers pay lip service to as they turn around and take advantage of them.

 

[marsh8472]

I started a thread about this already but it got moved to a different area because I mentioned Trump in it

 

[Peach Wookiee]

I could see it happening in Seattle as well. There are many "dims," " ghosts" and "gimmies" all over. I can see how it might take hold...

 

[TheSeeker]

I just found this thread via google after reading stories like https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jul/10/disneyland-homeless-benches-anaheim-california or this https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jun/29/low-income-workers-rvs-palo-alto-california-homeless
In the seven years since this thread was started it is looking more and more possible that DS9's writers will be correct.

I'm not sure if you noticed, but you are responding to a thread that was last active 7 years ago. As a rule we ask people not to revive old threads if they have been dormant for more than a year. If you'd like to discuss this topic please start a new thread. Thanks