The Borg Are Scarier Now Than Ever

[Christopher]

It was a bad idea for them to give all the Borg instant assimilation powers. Assimilation should've been something they needed proper equipment to do, on their ships.

On the other hand, it was a welcome retcon to add nanotechnology to the Borg's bag of tricks. The original conception of Borg technology as this clunky, macroscopic, mechanical stuff surgically grafted onto bodies was already outdated when the Borg were first introduced.

 

[Anwar]

Maybe nanoprobes as a way of incapacitating their victims for the drones, but the major equipment for the really important stuff like connecting them to the Collective should've been something only a designated assimilation point onboard their major ships or major planetside facilities could do.

 

[slappy]

My point was never that the technology is available, it's what we as human being always inevitably do with anything: pervert it. Knives, swords, guns aren't inherently evil, but inevitably someone will find a way to make it so. Hell, the Borg themselves aren't evil. They're just an unstoppable force that probably started as a bunch of good ideas gone terribly wrong.

 

[MikeS]

Look at species in the Federation which are telepathic, having a natural counterpart to the Borg mass mind. Were the Betazoids or Vulcans more likely to welcome the Borg than humans or Andorians? If anything, I can imagine telepaths--and networked non-telepaths--being more upset by the loss of individuality and free will inflicted by the Borg on their victims.

You missed out the prime example. The Binars. They're dependant on technology without foisting it onto others. I would have liked to have seen more of them. Does anyone know of any TrekLit that explores them further?

The collective is used to control the drones and quash their individuality, while the internet in an optional medium of communication that allows people to express themselves to others.

That's what they want you to believe!

 

[Christopher]

You missed out the prime example. The Binars. They're dependant on technology without foisting it onto others. I would have liked to have seen more of them. Does anyone know of any TrekLit that explores them further?

One of the regular characters in the Corps of Engineers novella series (originally called SCE in eBook form) is a Bynar, and there are several installments focusing on him. One installment, 10 is Better Than 01, takes place on Bynaus and delves into its culture.

 

[MikeS]

Many thanks Christopher