Spoilers The real reason (spoiler) fled Hysperian society

We have already completely unburdened ourselves of the need to physically procreate through sex, as evidenced by artificial insemination. The desire to have sex for pleasure, or to procreate is something different.

 

And seems rather unconnected to fictional characters in a TV show, aside from the most shallow facets of human nature. Speaking of need, it is rather unneeded.

 

Sex Sells.

 

So much for evolution.

 

Nonsensical to think those are the "only" qualifiers. They are simply the only ones that came up in context in a canonical Star Trek story and were therefore spoken aloud so that we, the audience, could hear them.

There are certainly many, MANY qualifiers towards becoming members of the Federation.

 

Until we hear them, then yes, they ARE the only ones.

If we don't hear it, it doesn't exist.

 

Sex is required for evolution.

 

Wasn't aware people were having sex with fictional characters.

 

We can talk about fiction, or we can talk about biological evolution. They are two unrelated concepts, though, so I'm not sure why you're oscillating between the two.

Sexual intercourse is currently a requirement for evolutionary processes. Although we can reproduce around it, not in any currently mass producing way. Nothing to do with fictional characters, which is another topic altogether.

 

Then this completely misses my point.

 

Well, yeah, it was a one-sentence joke post. Missing the point was kind of the point.

 

*insert rim shot gif here*

 

While I agree with you, Kirk also had sex in Bread and Circuses, just off the top of my head.

 

You haven't been on the internet long. *sad trombone*

 

It makes sense to include sex in stories about people.

It also makes sense for those stories to include people who have no interest in sex.

 

Included does not mean central focus.

 

I just rewatched Bread and Circuses because of your post, and it was a fair amount of yikes.

Kirk and crew find themselves on a world where the Roman Empire never fell and things had progressed to a 20th Century level of tech. He is a prisoner of the planet's leader, and the planet's leader throws a blonde slave, Drusilla, at him to fulfill his "every desire."

The episode goes from Kirk kissing the slave after dinner to him waking up the next afternoon. The emperor basically taunts him about letting Kirk "die as a man." So the impression, correct, is that he slept with Drusilla.

From a 21st century standpoint, even though Drusilla is eager to please, she is still a slave. Having sex with a slave who has been ordered to do it should have been repulsive to Kirk. It is essentially sexual assault because of the power dynamic/differential.

I will headcanon all day long that Kirk kissed her and came to his senses and realized how wrong it would be to actually sleep with her and stopped himself.

 

There have not been many episodes of Trek where sex was the "central focus" or even a "central focus."

Romance and/or relationships that might have a sexual component, sure. But the actual sex part, not so much.

 

Hence my irritation at this episode, among multitude of other factors.

 

Even though this may well have gotten Drusilla executed for failure to follow orders?

I mean, of course Kirk would find it repugnant to sleep with a slave, and his compassion for Drusilla would normally prevent him from taking advantage of her in that way. But if Drusilla fails to follow through, she will almost certainly be put to death. Surely Kirk would not allow THAT to happen?

If Kirk and Drusilla do the deed, then her life will (presumably) continue. If they don't, then she will die. Kirk would have to decide which alternative is the least repulsive...