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Night of the Comet - Mysogyny redux

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
Let's see:

First there was a Vulcan Holographic Sex Slave and now Cassidy is, according to Scotty, a bonnie lass, "more than willing to spend a little time with the right Starfleet officer, if you know what I mean."

What does Cryptic mean? Why was this line necessary? To portray women in a less than favorable light?

I recognize the game is rated T for teen. Is it necessary to appeal to a low form of immature presentation of gender? This game is Star Trek, I thought the premise went past these types of degradations.

Or is Cryptic's adolescent take is all women should be Orion's in metal bikini's?

Unnecessarily degrading portrayals of women, yeah, yeah Orions wear bikini's and context is important, but what was the context for having Scotty say that line? What do we take away about Scotty? That he looks for women he can get drunk with and..."you know what I mean."

I know, sex sells, and adolescent representations definitely hit that theme.

Kudo's Cryptic!
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    You never watched TOS did you...
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    For some reason, between the 22nd and 23rd century, women's rights took a huge step backwards. Their uniforms became miniskirts, they were banned from becoming starship captains and people could get away with saying things like that. Fortunately, by the time we got to the mid 24th century, people started realising how ridiculous that was.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Cormoran wrote: »
    You never watched TOS did you...

    For some reason, between the 22nd and 23rd century, women's rights took a huge step backwards. Their uniforms became miniskirts, they were banned from becoming starship captains and people could get away with saying things like that. Fortunately, by the time we got to the mid 24th century, people started realising how ridiculous that was.

    I have watched the TOS.

    The distilled point is Cryptic put in a gratuitous throw away line that does not add to the story and denigrates women.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Cormoran wrote: »

    To reiterate, as far as I'm concerned, Cryptic put in a gratuitously denigrating description of a woman that added nothing to the storyline.

    Context is important but the line wouldn't have been missed and would not impact the story line.

    Scotty could have stopped at "bonnie lass". The rest was gratuitous and used to titillate adolescent sensibilities.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    tendel wrote: »
    The rest was gratuitous and used to titillate adolescent sensibilities.
    Agreed. You'd almost think it aimed at kids who play video games or Star Trek nerds or somethng.

    ;)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    tendel wrote: »
    Let's see:

    First there was a Vulcan Holographic Sex Slave and now Cassidy is, according to Scotty, a bonnie lass, "more than willing to spend a little time with the right Starfleet officer, if you know what I mean."

    What does Cryptic mean? Why was this line necessary? To portray women in a less than favorable light?

    I recognize the game is rated T for teen. Is it necessary to appeal to a low form of immature presentation of gender? This game is Star Trek, I thought the premise went past these types of degradations.

    Or is Cryptic's adolescent take is all women should be Orion's in metal bikini's?

    Unnecessarily degrading portrayals of women, yeah, yeah Orions wear bikini's and context is important, but what was the context for having Scotty say that line? What do we take away about Scotty? That he looks for women he can get drunk with and..."you know what I mean."

    I know, sex sells, and adolescent representations definitely hit that theme.


    Kudo's Cryptic!


    Really are you serious are this some kind of bad job. If this is not a joke you really need to get out more. Go watch tv and tell me what you see first thing of selling something is sex sells and its true LOL
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Cormoran wrote: »
    Yup....that was exactly like how it went between me and the exGF.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Tendel you object to one line when you spend most of the time in game blowing up ships containing hundreds to thousands of crew, have probably massacred thousands of lifes on ground missions... So mass murder of innocents just following orders is ok but one little line is highly offensive ?

    Nice morals you have there since you seem to be very "sensitive" to such things ! ;)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    tendel wrote: »
    To reiterate, as far as I'm concerned, Cryptic put in a gratuitously denigrating description of a woman that added nothing to the storyline.

    Context is important but the line wouldn't have been missed and would not impact the story line.

    Scotty could have stopped at "bonnie lass". The rest was gratuitous and used to titillate adolescent sensibilities.

    You are assuming that promiscuity is denigrating, when Star Trek in every incarnation (less so slightly in DS9 and TNG, maybe) extols it as a virtue.

    The holo-slave was kinda denigrating (while referencing something that was a part of Trek canon in multiple series, specifically holographic Vulcan sex slaves) but drinking and being easy are virtues in Gene Roddenberry's vision of the future.

    Heck, get to his design documents. He intended for Earth to be a nudist colony where people go at it whenever and wherever they feel like.

    I don't think Cassidy crossed any hard lines. She's not a slave or a prostitute (without passing judgment on the latter). She's just someone who likes the company of her gender preference and drinking, a set of traits shared by probably three quarters of the heroes from all Trek series.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Is there a grasst knoll near by? That sort of came out of nowhere...
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    tendel wrote: »
    To reiterate, as far as I'm concerned, Cryptic put in a gratuitously denigrating description of a woman that added nothing to the storyline.

    Context is important but the line wouldn't have been missed and would not impact the story line.

    Scotty could have stopped at "bonnie lass". The rest was gratuitous and used to titillate adolescent sensibilities.
    Shut up woman, get on my horse
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Brodie0854 wrote:
    Shut up woman, get on my horse

    To be fair, that horse is dead and beaten.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    I really don't like self righteous people who latch onto one issue and ***** about it. Scotty was a ladies man, and thats how he's portrayed, if you don't like it, don't play the game. Also, turn off your TV, unplug the computer, and put on a chastity belt. Work from home only selling wares to people who are dressed like the amish, but wear pants instead of dresses, cuz I'm sure your coworkers would offend your sensibilities too.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Hmmm....I took the comment to mean that Cassidy likes to get together with Scotty and drink. What does that say about me? :p

    I don't hear you complaining that Scotty is degrading to all Scottish people because he likes to drink, or that the Ferengi that wanted the Vulcan slave hologram is degrading to men because he wanted the hologram.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    tendel wrote: »
    Let's see:

    First there was a Vulcan Holographic Sex Slave and now Cassidy is, according to Scotty, a bonnie lass, "more than willing to spend a little time with the right Starfleet officer, if you know what I mean."

    What does Cryptic mean? Why was this line necessary? To portray women in a less than favorable light?

    I recognize the game is rated T for teen. Is it necessary to appeal to a low form of immature presentation of gender? This game is Star Trek, I thought the premise went past these types of degradations.

    Or is Cryptic's adolescent take is all women should be Orion's in metal bikini's?

    Unnecessarily degrading portrayals of women, yeah, yeah Orions wear bikini's and context is important, but what was the context for having Scotty say that line? What do we take away about Scotty? That he looks for women he can get drunk with and..."you know what I mean."

    I know, sex sells, and adolescent representations definitely hit that theme.

    Kudo's Cryptic!


    Sounds like someone has sand in their underwear....
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Hm.

    There was the Vulcan Love Slave (still want that as a special item when we get actual Holodecks, but that's another thread altogether).

    I'll throw the Orions in on this list but I'll note they they aren't so much sex slaves and cunning, manipulative and generally downright brilliant little witches.

    And now we have this Cassidy.

    So that's at most, three examples of women in any position that could be considered degrading or demeaning. But I feel its safe to say this is pretty well countered by the fact there are so many females in positions of command in the game; Four of Ten and the admiral(s) at Sierra Station, for example. Not to mention, the Ferengi at Drozana is a little creep anyway, not to mention the one who was collecting the holotapes anyway.

    I see nothing wrong with any of this considering how little of it there is.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Then you won't want to look at my away team...
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    wrote:
    Let's see:

    First there was a Vulcan Holographic Sex Slave and now Cassidy is, according to Scotty, a bonnie lass, "more than willing to spend a little time with the right Starfleet officer, if you know what I mean."

    What does Cryptic mean? Why was this line necessary? To portray women in a less than favorable light?

    I recognize the game is rated T for teen. Is it necessary to appeal to a low form of immature presentation of gender? This game is Star Trek, I thought the premise went past these types of degradations.

    Or is Cryptic's adolescent take is all women should be Orion's in metal bikini's?

    Unnecessarily degrading portrayals of women, yeah, yeah Orions wear bikini's and context is important, but what was the context for having Scotty say that line? What do we take away about Scotty? That he looks for women he can get drunk with and..."you know what I mean."

    I know, sex sells, and adolescent representations definitely hit that theme.

    Kudo's Cryptic!
    You want me, Don't you
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Jexsam wrote: »
    Hm.

    There was the Vulcan Love Slave (still want that as a special item when we get actual Holodecks, but that's another thread altogether).

    I'll throw the Orions in on this list but I'll note they they aren't so much sex slaves and cunning, manipulative and generally downright brilliant little witches.

    And now we have this Cassidy.

    So that's at most, three examples of women in any position that could be considered degrading or demeaning. But I feel its safe to say this is pretty well countered by the fact there are so many females in positions of command in the game; Four of Ten and the admiral(s) at Sierra Station, for example. Not to mention, the Ferengi at Drozana is a little creep anyway, not to mention the one who was collecting the holotapes anyway.

    I see nothing wrong with any of this considering how little of it there is.

    Note also that the station commander in episode 4, "Everything Old is New," was Captain Kendra Reaver, a woman. (Bones brings a cortical stimulator to her to repair her neural damage after you finish the puzzle, and once she's healed she's immediately up and asks when she can go back to active duty.)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Then you won't want to look at my away team...

    Remind me to log onto my Fed Commander and get a shot of my all-female crew.
    Sidenote: When I typed the above, I typo'd "crew" as "TRIBBLE". Make of that what you will.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    tendel wrote: »
    Let's see:

    First there was a Vulcan Holographic Sex Slave and now Cassidy is, according to Scotty, a bonnie lass, "more than willing to spend a little time with the right Starfleet officer, if you know what I mean."

    What does Cryptic mean? Why was this line necessary? To portray women in a less than favorable light?

    I recognize the game is rated T for teen. Is it necessary to appeal to a low form of immature presentation of gender? This game is Star Trek, I thought the premise went past these types of degradations.

    Or is Cryptic's adolescent take is all women should be Orion's in metal bikini's?

    Unnecessarily degrading portrayals of women, yeah, yeah Orions wear bikini's and context is important, but what was the context for having Scotty say that line? What do we take away about Scotty? That he looks for women he can get drunk with and..."you know what I mean."

    I know, sex sells, and adolescent representations definitely hit that theme.

    Kudo's Cryptic!

    Get over yourself.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Jexsam wrote: »
    Remind me to log onto my Fed Commander and get a shot of my all-female crew.
    Sidenote: When I typed the above, I typo'd "crew" as "TRIBBLE". Make of that what you will.

    I just like the Klingon shaking his head in disbelief over having a group of women manhandle him.:D
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Captain Kirk, a man, is the biggest (S-word for promiscuous person) out there. Nuff said.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Star Trek span decades, it would be wrong to take one decade and make believe this is how it has always been, and always will be.

    I cannot speak for the future, that is true. But the past is covered.

    As for story, unnecessary elements are for movies to remove. In games, books, and television, there is enough space for a bit of messing around one should think.

    This example can be put forward as superfluous material, but then again it can also be seen as a touch of soul.

    I call it the latter, without regret or remorse. :)

    ---
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    tendel wrote: »
    Let's see:

    First there was a Vulcan Holographic Sex Slave and now Cassidy is, according to Scotty, a bonnie lass, "more than willing to spend a little time with the right Starfleet officer, if you know what I mean."

    What does Cryptic mean? Why was this line necessary? To portray women in a less than favorable light?

    I recognize the game is rated T for teen. Is it necessary to appeal to a low form of immature presentation of gender? This game is Star Trek, I thought the premise went past these types of degradations.

    Or is Cryptic's adolescent take is all women should be Orion's in metal bikini's?

    Unnecessarily degrading portrayals of women, yeah, yeah Orions wear bikini's and context is important, but what was the context for having Scotty say that line? What do we take away about Scotty? That he looks for women he can get drunk with and..."you know what I mean."

    I know, sex sells, and adolescent representations definitely hit that theme.

    Kudo's Cryptic!

    I'm positive that you have put far more thought into that line than the person who originally wrote it. I doubt it was meant to paint the entire female gendre as a whole; just one female character in particular. If you spend your entire life looking for things to be offended about, then you're certainly going to find plenty. However, this is a non-issue.

    This is sensationalism, pure and simple; and its silly. So buck up, lil camper. We'll scale this here mountain together!
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    I see you're point OP, but it was in character for Scotty to say something like that.

    Personally I think there are ample examples of positive female role models in this game, far more then there are in most games to be honest.

    In Star Trek, for every Seven of Nine and T'pol, there's a Janeway and Savvik.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    tendel wrote: »
    The distilled point is Cryptic put in a gratuitous throw away line that does not add to the story and denigrates women.

    The disturbing thing here is that you view Cassidy's promiscuity as offensive, but seem to entirely glance over Scotty's as a non-issue. Feminism is not about women being deified or viewed as pristine, it's about equality between the sexes. The line didn't seem to paint her in any worse a light than it did him. Your own perceptions did that.

    You might want to look into sex-positive feminism.

    If you were going to take issue with something in the scene it should probably have been that Cassidy was a snivelling wilting violet who after a ruckus needs a "tonic" to calm her fragile "woman-nerves." That would be a negative stereotype often associated with women, that they're emotionally weaker than men. Of course, this is also appropriate to the TOS era, and we've seen cowardly NPCs bouncing around who are male as well so it seems to disqualify the idea that Cassidy was only weepy because she she lacked a Y chromosome. So it still doesn't entirely hold up under inspection either, but if you were going to have a knee jerk reaction and be offended over something that was, potentially, a much better choice since it's certainly much more offensive than the idea that a woman might decide to engage in pre-marital relations with Scotty.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Guess you and I won't get along, and I was willing to introduce you to my Orion BO Zeko.
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