It might seem odd, but if we're operating on the idea that the other androids built by his maker are Data' siblings, then that means his "mom", Juliana, is actually his "sister", too.
If being on Earth isn't necessarily any safer than being on the E-D, I'd rather be with my family on the ship.
You can't flee danger at high warp speeds when you're on a planet.
I also thought it was really cool until the programmer in me took over and realized the problems of transmitting that much data over such distances would make the experience worse than the days of dial-up modems.
For full real-time rendering of every detail, then yes, probably. But if the idea was only to update appearance and try to incorporate certain details to allow for coordination that means that the participants might not have a perfectly synchronized experience, but it still might be preferable to couples or poly groups than the idea that their partners are having at it with impersonal holograms (or other people), then it seems workable.
Spock only applies it in a situation where he's willing to be the first, and only one, to sacrifice. That's something that's often overlooked in discussions about it.
Also, the rest of the crew immediately go and do something contrary to the idea - risking their lives and careers to recover Spock - and Kirk even points that out to Spock. So I've always taken the two together as a contrast meant for thought and discussion - not that one or the other is a law. The contrast is worth considering, especially when it comes to the upsides and downsides of how most of the Western world views the matter (prioritizing the needs and rights of the one) vs the way the Eastern world does (prioritizing the many, or the state, over the individual). Neither is entirely right, and neither is entirely wrong. Fascinating.
I agree Star Trek is unrealistic when it comes to relationships. Real life armed forces and explorers get married, have kids, stay married or get divorced, have affairs etc. None of the Starfleet main crew seem to do this. I found it rather pathetic the Gang of Six from TOS, except for Bones who was divorced but stayed single, spent their fertile, adult years following Kirk around. Might make for entertaining TV, but in universe very pathetic IMO.
Maybe in future human females can remain fertile to their 60's or keeping ones eggs in stasis is the norm for career woman.
Or, perhaps by then, with a galactic human population in/approaching the trillions, people have
moved past the idea that breeding is necessarily an essential part of life for absolutely everyone?
ITA its completely ruthless, and illogical, Surak must have been on the chocolate sauce.
In context in Surak's writings and teachings, it may have made more sense. I believe he was trying to rein in selfish decision makers who had brought Vulcan to the brink of annihilation. Perhaps sometimes the needs of the One *should* outweigh the needs of the many - generally, when it comes to respecting basic rights, for example. But if your "need" is revenge or based in greed, then knowing that you should allow the actual needs of the people who would be harmed by that to take priority is essential - a lesson many of our contemporaries could do to absorb, I think.
