What if Augmentation was accepted in the Federation?

[dswynne1]

Suppose Earth survived the Eugenics War, but chose to not ban augmentation of any kind? How would the Star Trek Timeline turn out? Would humans become like Khan and his followers, a bunch of arrogant "supermen", or would they be "normal", but good at everything?

I would say that it would depend on the type of augmentation. If the enhancement simply enhances your physical and mental capabilities, then nothing will be significantly different. If the enhancement is from birth, via genetic engineering, maybe. But I like to think that indoctrination also plays a key role. But, can you imagine how the different STAR TREK series would turn out, either way? I personally think that the Klingons and Romulans would be a lot more antagonistic.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I've always assumed the process used on Khan and his fellow supermen was the cause of his megalomania. In a story I tried to develop, I had an augment character serving in Starfleet using medication to control the negative aspects of augmentation.

 

[fireproof78]

That's an interesting concept that the actually engineering process resulted in arrogance and a superiority complex. What's even more interesting is that it would explain Bashier's social difficulties and apparent arrogance in early DS9 seasons.

I personally would like to think that illegal genetic engineering could become a larger plot point in a future series as people try to gain an edge against threats, but are also chased by Starfleet.

 

[USS Triumphant]

I actually don't think the arrogant superiority complex is an effect of the engineering. I think it's the effect on many people of having some reason to believe they are superior. If most people were engineered, you'd probably never witness that attitude - until there was an unengineered human around. Like hanging out with racists - you might never realize it until someone of another race shows up.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The problem with allowing genetic engineering is, what happens to those who choose not to undergo the process? The ones who do elect to engineer themselves, will always have the advantage (and believe themselves to be superior) over those who do not. And society will shape itself accordingly, as shown in Gattaca.

So what will life be like in a world like that? In professional sports, for example, do we allow athletes to be engineered, knowing full well they will always have the advantage over those who don't want to (or can't afford to) undergo such treatment? Will the privileged "engineered" class also enjoy advantages in other areas of life, such as job security? (meaning, will it become impossible to find a job if one does not have some form of genetic enhancement?) Where does it end?

 

[Kor]

I actually don't think the arrogant superiority complex is an effect of the engineering. I think it's the effect on many people of having some reason to believe they are superior. If most people were engineered, you'd probably never witness that attitude - until there was an unengineered human around. Like hanging out with racists - you might never realize it until someone of another race shows up.

Or it might be like that episode of Darkwing Duck with the planet full of super-powered people, where the wimpy mortal was idolized as "Ordinary Guy."

Kor

 

[USS Triumphant]

Or it might be like that episode of Darkwing Duck with the planet full of super-powered people, where the wimpy mortal was idolized as "Ordinary Guy."

You watch too much TV.

 

[e3jeremey]

So the interesting thing is that we know pre Enterprise and up through that era before the Federation was official Denoublan's utilized genetic engineering and nanotechnology for their people but for good. I would like to imagine that eventually had Human's became enlightened they could have very easily followed a path similar to that of the Denobulan people and we could have a Federation that does not ban augmentation.

Now a great story line could be rogue Denobulan scientists creating augments for some kind of resistance or for elite's who want to modify themselves for a competitive edge or genetically superior babies. Hmm, I think my sim may have a future storyline lol.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

What is appropriate for Denobulans may not be appropriate for humans.

Human nature is not the same as Denobulan nature.

 

[e3jeremey]

What is appropriate for Denobulans may not be appropriate for humans.

Human nature is not the same as Denobulan nature.

It was only a fun what if... You never know, we could have ended up being influenced by them rather than the Vulcans had things gone differently. It's always fun to imagine.

 

[fireproof78]

In one mirror universe story, there is a colony of peaceful Augs who basically live in isolation. You might imagine it like the colony of clones in one TNG episode, but they went in to voluntary exile due to the stigma of supermen in the Federation. Then, they are discovered at some point in time and the Federation has to reconsider the ban.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

If genetic augmentation weren't illegal it'd probably turn out like the movie Gattaca. Procreation is a genetic arms race where people are pressured to use dangerous genetic therapies to have successful offspring and it turns into a genetically based class system.

 

[Phoenix219]

Why would the mirror universe Federation care at all about bans, or considering anything thoughtfully? doesn't seem their MO, unless you mean general elseworlds/alternate universe stories in general, not mirror.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

In one mirror universe story, there is a colony of peaceful Augs who basically live in isolation.

What story is that? I've never heard of it.

 

[trekshark]

So was Darwin Station in the Federation or not?
I know, it was a case of that episode coming before the episodes that said it was banned but I always have to bring it up when there's talk about the federation's ban

 

[fireproof78]

What story is that? I've never heard of it.

It was referenced in IDW's "Live Evil" 3 part series. It was part of the Mirror Universe story. It was rather brief, in it's mention.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I always felt that augmentation was illegal just for Humans, and that the ban was due to just how terrible the Eugenics Wars were. Rather than chance anything like that ever happening again, Human augmentation was just banned outright and that the law stayed on the books even after the Federation was formed. I think there also must have been something proven offscreen that among any sizeable group of Augments, there definitely will be at least one that will be a danger to millions. In that sense, the bad that could come out of Human augmentation was considered too high to risk it.

 

[dswynne1]

It is interesting to read that most of the responses have been negative, and here is an assumption that the quality of life in a world of Augments would feel "unnatural". I am of the thinking that, as a poster had stated, that in a world of Augments, life would be "normal". But let's take this further. Would evolved humans be seen as a form of augmentation? Would there be the same level of unease as there would be for genetic augmentation? I do remember one TNG episode where an alien found refuge with the Enterprise-D, and he and others like him were being hunted down by their people for evolving into a higher being.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

It is interesting to read that most of the responses have been negative, and here is an assumption that the quality of life in a world of Augments would feel "unnatural". I am of the thinking that, as a poster had stated, that in a world of Augments, life would be "normal".

That's the kicker - "in a world of Augments". What happens to those who don't want to be augmented?

Either you force them to do so, in which case that's no world I'd want to live in anyway, or their non-augment status would leave them at a disadvantage, with loss of freedoms, rights, jobs and all the rest of it.

That's the trouble with things like this. It's all well and good to talk about how "augmenting" would benefit humanity, but it would demand universal compliance. And that's not a trade I'd be prepared to make.

 

[F. King Daniel]

The engineered in "Unnatural Selection" had telekinetic superpowers, Khan could leap tall buildings in a single bound in Into Darkness, so basically Star Trek would be X-Men in space.