"Way To Eden" always seems to get a bad rap

[ToddPence]

So Sevrin is adjudged to be insane. I thought insanity was cured in the recent "Whom Gods Destroy"? Can't they use some of that drug on him that cured Garth? Or did they forget about that epsiode already?

 

[JustKate]

^ I don't know that I ever got the idea that all insanity was cured - I'm not saying I'm right, but that isn't the impression I got. There are different causes for different kinds of insanity, so why would the drug that worked on Garth necessarily work on Sevrin? There's more than one kind of heart disease so the same cure doesn't work on everything.

 

[ToddPence]

Well, in "Whom Gods Destroy" they gave us the impression that there were only fifteen insane people left in the galaxy, and all those fifteen were quaranteened on that one planet.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Well, in "Whom Gods Destroy" they gave us the impression that there were only fifteen insane people left in the galaxy, and all those fifteen were quaranteened on that one planet.

What about the ones on the other planet?

 

[Chrisisall]

Coo-Coo for Coconuts.

 

[Vance]

Well, in "Whom Gods Destroy" they gave us the impression that there were only fifteen insane people left in the galaxy, and all those fifteen were quaranteened on that one planet.

Fifteen captured "criminally" insane members of the Federation - to the point where they can't be treated or cared for. Seems like there's plenty of insane people, it's just that they can be treated, or their insanity never causes them to rise to the level of criminal behavior.

 

[Red Ranger]

Well, the ep does have: Charles Napier as Adam, Doors-inspired singing and music, Spock playing in a jam session, and a gorgeous ex-lover for Chekov, so it's not all bad! -- RR

 

[Timo]

Fifteen captured "criminally" insane members of the Federation - to the point where they can't be treated or cared for. Seems like there's plenty of insane people, it's just that they can be treated, or their insanity never causes them to rise to the level of criminal behavior.

That's the gist of "Whom Gods Destroy", yes, and of "Dagger of the Mind". If you are criminal, you are automatically insane, and you get cured in one of Dr. Adams' standard facilities, or then declared hopeless and shipped off to Elba II for extra care. But if you are insane, you aren't necessarily criminal, and doctors other than Adams will take care of you. They stayed nicely consistent here: from the very start, Harry Mudd's criminal record had referred to counseling, not to fines or jail terms.

As for Spock giving a diagnosis on Dr. Sevrin, I don't wonder a bit that he'd put the "insane" stamp on a person who acts illogically while recognizing his own illogic. The only question is, does Spock give the same stamp to his fellow officers whenever they do the same?

Timo Saloniemi