In episode Equiliburum, do you think the goal of the symbiosis commision, if hiding the true cpapcity of Trill to be joined, is justifiable (even if their methods are not) or not? Also, do ou think at least part of their motivation is preserving their own power?
Was the symbiosis commision justified in deceiving their population on joining possibility?
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There was probably a better way to handle it.
A lot of aspects of symbiosis are pretty sketchy. The death sentence for reconnecting with a former lover, for one*. And what happened with Ezri probably was ethically questionable, too. There's a reason why the Symbiosis Commission carefully vets would-be hosts.
*Also, how do you enforce it? There have to be thousands of unjoined Trill like Verad out there, who would be happy to inherit your symbiont when you die. Just connect with one of them when you're near death, and you've bypassed the taboo, no problem.
A lot of aspects of symbiosis are pretty sketchy. The death sentence for reconnecting with a former lover, for one*. And what happened with Ezri probably was ethically questionable, too. There's a reason why the Symbiosis Commission carefully vets would-be hosts.
*Also, how do you enforce it? There have to be thousands of unjoined Trill like Verad out there, who would be happy to inherit your symbiont when you die. Just connect with one of them when you're near death, and you've bypassed the taboo, no problem.
What does the Symbiosis Commission have to do with that scenario? Ezri was joined precisely because there was a problem away from Trill and there was no one else available.
That's the whole idea behind the Commission's lie. The general population believes that only a tiny fraction can host a symbiont. Sure, some would risk it anyway but presumably you've still got a very small number of joined Trill willing to risk it all to hook up with an ex, and the Ex has to be willing to risk it all too.
So two joined Trill and (at least) one desperate unjoined Trill, all willing to be outcasts forever...and that's even if the desperate host and the symbiont were actually compatible. Less than half the population can be joined, so even with all the other factors it's still a coin flip.
I think the reason for what they were doing were understandable, but morally I think it’s wrong to keep the scientific truth about the fact that actually every Trill is able to join with a symbiont a secret. It’s also unfortunate that what they did created a sort of upper class elite that under the guise of an initiate program was able to recruit new members into their ranks based on arbitrary and potentially discriminatory biases.
Their stated goal of preventing the symbionts becoming “commodities to be purchased or prizes to be fought over” is a worthy one, but I guess something like a lottery where willing potential hosts are randomly selected would be a step towards more fairness. Or have something like an equivalent to our real world organ allocation networks and ethics committees.
However, I can also see how it makes sense for the symbionts themselves to have a say in who gets to be their next host. They are not like ordinary organs but actual living beings, and as such should certainly involved in the process. But everything should be done to prevent them from choosing hosts based on prejudices.
Their stated goal of preventing the symbionts becoming “commodities to be purchased or prizes to be fought over” is a worthy one, but I guess something like a lottery where willing potential hosts are randomly selected would be a step towards more fairness. Or have something like an equivalent to our real world organ allocation networks and ethics committees.
However, I can also see how it makes sense for the symbionts themselves to have a say in who gets to be their next host. They are not like ordinary organs but actual living beings, and as such should certainly involved in the process. But everything should be done to prevent them from choosing hosts based on prejudices.
Not every Trill. Under 50%.
Whatever Renhol said was garbage. She never says that the symbionts were exploited. She says that could be exploited. It's not a reason, it's a rationalization. The Gamma Podcast, almost 15 years ago, quite effectively called out this episode by noting societies have mechanisms by which rare resources can be monitored and regulated.
I think it's a secret that really wouldn't last long because someone would have found out. People are idiots and have big mouths. But it's also part of the plot twist of the episode so it's not like the commission had another choice. I just keep thinking how Ezri got given the worm in Season 7, someone who had never been trained in any way, and you'd think that would bust the conspiracy wide open, when someone goes "hang on a minute...."
The secret must have already been out by that point. Otherwise, the ship's doctor wouldn't have risked Ezri's life and sanity in a 1000 to 1 shot.
The symbionts aren't just a rare resource. They are sapient beings.
Not to mention that here on our planet we have regulations against the exploitation of sapient beings and yet it happens every day, a thousand times over.
If a doctor said there's a 1000 to 1 shot we can save your life or we can do nothing and you'll die, which would you choose?
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I like the novelverse's explanation for the reassociation ban.
It's because of the bluegill parasites from "Conspiracy". They are mutated Trill symbionts who live on a planet called Kurl.
The Trill Private Service (their military) sent ships to destroy Kurl and wipe out all of the bluegills.
Reassociation laws were put in place to erase all memory of this genocide. Meaning, if joined Trill couldn't interact with previous generations it would make it just that much harder to remember.
The Trill Private Service (their military) sent ships to destroy Kurl and wipe out all of the bluegills.
Reassociation laws were put in place to erase all memory of this genocide. Meaning, if joined Trill couldn't interact with previous generations it would make it just that much harder to remember.
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I imagine Ezri was asked for consent before joining with Dax. She was the only one who could possibly save its life but there was at least a 50% chance her body would reject the symbiont. Though we've seen 2 humans successfully join so it's possible the odds are much higher with relatively simple medical procedures. If more than one alien can do it then it shouldnt take much for someone from the same planet to.
I think the Symbiosis Commission was right to hide the fact in theory but deciding to sacrifice lives to protect their secrets is too far. They could have spun the situation in so many ways but panicked and decided to compound their lies which naturally got the lie found out.
I think the Symbiosis Commission was right to hide the fact in theory but deciding to sacrifice lives to protect their secrets is too far. They could have spun the situation in so many ways but panicked and decided to compound their lies which naturally got the lie found out.
But continued/re-started friendships are completely allowed, so not sure how that logic tracks?
Why wouldn't Trill? Why would a institution, whether through the government or not, resort to fraud rather than put in place a transparent system, whereby the best candidates were awarded symbionts?
For that matter, why wouldn't the choice be left to the symbionts and the potential hosts? Is there consent?
I think the Symbiosis Commission was justified in keeping it secret that almost half the population can be joined.
Given the Guardian's reaction to Sisko and Bashir's second visit to the caves, it seems that the Guardians and the Commission work together. Or at the very least, communicate with each other.
Which brings up something no one has said yet...
What if it was the symbiotes themselves that pushed for that to be secret? And also, could the rigorous testing they put initiates through be more their idea in the first place?
The symbiotes have just as much to lose by joining as an initiate... they are trapped in being joined to one host or another for the rest of their life once they start with the first host. (Unless their host dies on Trill itself, which at least they can go back to the symbiote pools. But offworld, which appears to be frequent? That's very dangerous.) Why shouldn't they make it a rare honor to hold, particularly if there are not that many of them to begin with?
And the Commission does place the symbiote as the priority life form when danger occurs. (We've seen examples and dialogue that show this many times. Even Sisko reminded Dax in "REJOINED" that 'each host is only a link in a chain'.) I don't think it's a stretch to think that it's the Symbiotes calling most or all of the shots within the Symbiosis Commission.
Given the Guardian's reaction to Sisko and Bashir's second visit to the caves, it seems that the Guardians and the Commission work together. Or at the very least, communicate with each other.
Which brings up something no one has said yet...
What if it was the symbiotes themselves that pushed for that to be secret? And also, could the rigorous testing they put initiates through be more their idea in the first place?
The symbiotes have just as much to lose by joining as an initiate... they are trapped in being joined to one host or another for the rest of their life once they start with the first host. (Unless their host dies on Trill itself, which at least they can go back to the symbiote pools. But offworld, which appears to be frequent? That's very dangerous.) Why shouldn't they make it a rare honor to hold, particularly if there are not that many of them to begin with?
And the Commission does place the symbiote as the priority life form when danger occurs. (We've seen examples and dialogue that show this many times. Even Sisko reminded Dax in "REJOINED" that 'each host is only a link in a chain'.) I don't think it's a stretch to think that it's the Symbiotes calling most or all of the shots within the Symbiosis Commission.
Hey, maybe the symbionts are the crew of a Trill ship that broke the warp 10 barrier. It granted them super-long lives, even as they were unable to live outside of the pool or a host.
I'm sure there is consent. Ezri, for example, could have let Dax die, but she chose not to. They couldn't have forced her to join.
And I'm also sure that a joined Trill might personally choose their symbiont's next host. This is probably rare, though.
A person's entire life doesnt revolve around their friendships but couples who spend their whole lives together are a diferent story.
Spending lifetime after lifetime with someone may be emotionally very satisfying but the Symbiont will never get any new experiences. Even though the reassocistion is also partially its choice as well as the host's.
Perhaps reassociation was a rule put in play by a Joined Trill. That would make it less of an imposition forcing the Symbiont to have new experiences.
Dax chose to merge with a sociopathic killer?
It's not the symbiont's fault. It deserves to live regardless of any crimes a past host committed. Joran was the killer, not Dax.
