test content
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc

What did you think: Mirrors and Smoke

1679111214

Comments

  • smokebaileysmokebailey Member Posts: 4,667 Arc User
    xyquarze wrote: »
    The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few?

    This is an acceptable viewpoint when it comes from the one or the few- it is the greatest form of evil when it comes from the many.

    Or.....when folks like Hitler or Hillary says the needs of society outweighs the need of the individual....both people said this.....it's one of those lines that can be abused from either end of the spectrum.
    dvZq2Aj.jpg
  • markhawkmanmarkhawkman Member Posts: 35,236 Arc User
    patrickngo wrote: »
    'the greater good' huh? so dumbledore and grindelwald were both communists?​​
    sharing a conceptual value doesn't autmatically equate to sharing ALL values. the mistake marx's theory made, was assuming that everyone would sacrifice ambition and selfishness to serve the collective, of their own accord.

    which is actually a value promoted among some of the early Christian sects (pre Nicea).

    Problem being, like with the Shakers, it's a concept that has no legs among the thin-skinned predatory animals known as humankind.

    it kind of ignores the fact that we value values because they're rare.
    Yes, it's part of what defines virtues and vices. See, it had a specific reason for being used so much in the early church. It wasn't just because it's a nice idea to share things, but because many members of the church had had their stuff taken from them. But people being people tend to follow dogma over thinking for themselves. also, the early church didn't have it as a proper institution, just as an extreme form of sharing.
    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
    My character Tsin'xing
    Costume_marhawkman_Tsin%27xing_CC_Comic_Page_Blue_488916968.jpg
  • avoozuulavoozuul Member Posts: 3,215 Arc User
    edited May 2017
    There seems to be something wrong with the difficulty for level 19 captains on normal when fighting the dreadnought.
    I stream on Twitch, look for Avoozl_
  • xyquarzexyquarze Member Posts: 2,117 Arc User
    Unless you're trying to say that at lvl 19 you can blast it away in seconds, it is the already mentioned issue that the dread may take quite a while to kill for most builds (the term "quite a while" may change its meaning in minutes depending on your playstyle). Especially since the Kentari and the Tzenkethi frigates are absolute pushovers, so you blast everything away in seconds, except for that one ship.
    My mother was an epohh and my father smelled of tulaberries
  • fovrelfovrel Member Posts: 1,448 Arc User
    The Dreadnought can be really tough. It seems to me the in the first stage of the fight it hardly takes any damage. My more advanced characters have hardly any problems with it because of the immunties and other defensive measures from spec and traits; they can survive an incoming attack. It is pretty hard to evade one, because the Dread can turn really fast and it is difficult to see its orientation.

    Also, sometimes your allies stay behind even Kumaarke. I fly back and they follow me and engage. The Dread can also put its targetting reticule on you from about 15 km. Projectiles can hit you at about 12 km. That is not just after I flew out of range. It happened after disengaging and loosing aggro.

    MY KDF characters use an Aceton Assimilator. As long as it is active/present the mission does not continue. It is regarded as a hostile mob.

    Disabling hostile mobs is a great feature, but there are some issues. They change to a friendly status, but are still your target and receive suddenly all your heals and buffs you meant to use on yourself. Can we have a mechanic, an option, so we loose target, when it is no longer hostile? A neutral status? Sensor Analysis works unhandy since you have to deselect the target manually.

    The black outs your away team is prone to in the first ground part because of the polluted air fits in with the story, gameplay wise, especially on replays, it is annoying.

  • markhawkmanmarkhawkman Member Posts: 35,236 Arc User
    It's important to remember that the little ships can heal/buff the dread if you don't kill them first.
    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
    My character Tsin'xing
    Costume_marhawkman_Tsin%27xing_CC_Comic_Page_Blue_488916968.jpg
  • hmkchmkc Member Posts: 79 Arc User
    but now not even Star Trek (or STO) can claim to be above politics anymore.
    ...
    *looks at TOS episodes involving Romulans and Klingons, then at The Undiscovered Country, then DS9, then Voyager, then Enterprise, then Into Darkness*
    Errrr...

    The devil is in the details...or the lack of detail, as far as those examples go. The leap from issues to people is enormous.

    It's interesting that you mention DS9, which occasionally got so heavy handed that one could argue that Star Trek was no longer post-racial...aka it was so normal to the setting that it was never mentioned, which for 1966 was absolutely awesome. Even then, the most it went into politics was "1950's racism was bad" and "don't let this awful version of 2024 happen" mixed with strawmen. (admittedly a low point in the series) It didn't caricature Newt Gingrich or any particular person. Aside from that, DS9 was very fair with Quark -- a caricature of capitalism. His arguments regarding Feranginar were rather convincing considering our real world systems don't work in a setting with magical replicators of post-scarcity +10.

    Voyager was post-gender. It was just normal...no big deal made about it. Not sure why that's listed. Haven't seen ST6 in over a decade so I'm lost with that one. TOS R/K were straw totalitarians at most, and never really even established as communists. Enterprise...maybe the Xindi arc parallels 9/11? Even then, they gave the Xindi fair treatment.

    It reminds me a bit of the Star Trek Ep: "Let that be you Last Battlefield" and that episode was brillant in the fact that it made racisim just seem "So Stupid", trite but most importantly deadly and self-destructive.

    As that episode had in it two bi-(skin) toned humanoids - black on one side and white on the other side - and in the schizim that took place, is was which side were you black or white on and the lenghts of which some people would go througth just to try to justify thier position and logic be damned!

    Another thing this episode proved in reading these comments, is that people can; read, hear and look at the same thing and you can get a totally different, if not, dymetrically opposed summations and interpretations from one to another.

    A good study into the human psyche!
    Kirk out!
  • bartimaeus#4158 bartimaeus Member Posts: 37 Arc User
    Skimming through the thread a bit, and after this TRAGIC analysis on capitalism and the works of Marx, i'd prefer not to bother, your opinions make the petit-bourgs seem revolutionary in comparison. So i'll just stick with the Episode here.

    The episode is meh. It's not one of the better scenarios Cryptic has given us, and there are quite some technical parts that make it look awful (cleaning up the debris by setting up a spatial charge and then sitting right next to it while it explodes.... good one), but Cryptic is known to take such shortcuts. In any case, recalling arcs like the Nimbus missions, or the Coliseum, where you survive only because Hakeev talks and talks and talks, giving just enough time to escape from his trap. And the entire Delta missions, the Iconians, the Krenim and the rest. I mean, the entire storyline, from the very beginning to the very last mission, is a monument to mediocrity (regardless if FED, ROM or KDF, though i believe the KDF might be a bit less corny than the rest). Respecting that, this episode has nothing to be jealous of. It is precisely how it should be, in order to fit in STO.
  • feordilagorgefeordilagorge Member Posts: 247 Arc User
    edited June 2017
    I thought I kept referring to it as "Smoke and Mirrors".

    Excuse me now as I must go eat a cheese and ham sandwich.
    Star Citizen: Pay-2-Win?
    i.imgur.com/LGpIGVB.png

    FREE HONG KONG! *
    * With purchase of another Hong Kong of equal or greater value.
  • warpangelwarpangel Member Posts: 9,427 Arc User
    It occurs to me that this episode exposes a flaw in the Prime Directive, or at least the necessity for a standing exception. And the reason is that the natural development cycle of technology creates a harmful bottleneck that damages civilizations, for no gain.

    The fact is, it's a hell of a lot easier to create uncontrolled fusion and weaponize it (aka the hydrogen bomb) than it is to produce controlled fusion for power. This creates all kinds of problems for civilizations that may otherwise have good intentions but are held back by a lack of technical ability to solve the puzzle of fusion power.

    I say it should become policy to covertly supply the technical capability for safe and clean fusion power to any species that already has the hydrogen bomb, presuming they are seeking it. The reason is that they already have the dangerous weaponized version of the technology and so it can't make things any worse, and it doesn't benefit their social or cultural development to be stuck with hydrocarbons and other such inferior energy sources while their scientists work to crack safe controlled fusion power. We might as well covertly help them get there.
    Except that's not a flaw, it's the design purpose of it. The Prime Directive is an artifact of a society that values culture over life. It is not to benefit the development of alien civilizations, but to preserve whatever "natural" uniqueness they have that Starfleet considers itself to be above and beyond, even if it leads to their destruction. There's so many episodes that have laid this out to bare.

    That the kentari's uniqueness is poisoned air and Captain Planet villains is, as far as the PD is concerned...their problem.
  • smokebaileysmokebailey Member Posts: 4,667 Arc User
    The PD is overrated in my opinion, and the later years of TNG got really anal about it.
    dvZq2Aj.jpg
  • silverlobes#2676 silverlobes Member Posts: 1,953 Arc User
    warpangel wrote: »
    It occurs to me that this episode exposes a flaw in the Prime Directive, or at least the necessity for a standing exception. And the reason is that the natural development cycle of technology creates a harmful bottleneck that damages civilizations, for no gain.

    The fact is, it's a hell of a lot easier to create uncontrolled fusion and weaponize it (aka the hydrogen bomb) than it is to produce controlled fusion for power. This creates all kinds of problems for civilizations that may otherwise have good intentions but are held back by a lack of technical ability to solve the puzzle of fusion power.

    I say it should become policy to covertly supply the technical capability for safe and clean fusion power to any species that already has the hydrogen bomb, presuming they are seeking it. The reason is that they already have the dangerous weaponized version of the technology and so it can't make things any worse, and it doesn't benefit their social or cultural development to be stuck with hydrocarbons and other such inferior energy sources while their scientists work to crack safe controlled fusion power. We might as well covertly help them get there.
    Except that's not a flaw, it's the design purpose of it. The Prime Directive is an artifact of a society that values culture over life. It is not to benefit the development of alien civilizations, but to preserve whatever "natural" uniqueness they have that Starfleet considers itself to be above and beyond, even if it leads to their destruction. There's so many episodes that have laid this out to bare.

    That the kentari's uniqueness is poisoned air and Captain Planet villains is, as far as the PD is concerned...their problem.
    ^^^ This.

    After First Contact, Vulcan could have supplied technology to boost Earth's research into warp drive, but they didn't, for I believe, two reasons. One, it would have been interfering in the technological development (and as a result cultural development) of humanity. The other, is along the line of the parable: Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, he'll feed himself for a lifetime. I (admitedly a presumption) believe that the Vulcans were of that opinion, and felt that humanity needed to make its advances on its own, through its own endeavours, rather than simply 'being given' the improvement.

    Uplifting may seem like a noble and charitable act, but is it really? Taking into account that radically changing a fundamental aspect of a society, is going to massively impact those living in that society. The aim may be noble, but the implications could be massive, and maybe more than a society is ready to deal with.
    "I fight for the Users!" - Tron

    "I was here before you, I will be here after you are gone. I am here, regardless of your acknowledgement or acceptance..." - The Truth
  • silverlobes#2676 silverlobes Member Posts: 1,953 Arc User
    The PD is overrated in my opinion, and the later years of TNG got really anal about it.

    57627517.jpg

    ;)<3
    "I fight for the Users!" - Tron

    "I was here before you, I will be here after you are gone. I am here, regardless of your acknowledgement or acceptance..." - The Truth
  • smokebaileysmokebailey Member Posts: 4,667 Arc User
    The PD is overrated in my opinion, and the later years of TNG got really anal about it.

    57627517.jpg

    ;)<3

    ANAL!!!!!


    With that out of the way......I think the improvements should have been given...especially since the dire straights the earth was in, and it being 2 steps away from Mad Max.
    dvZq2Aj.jpg
  • silverlobes#2676 silverlobes Member Posts: 1,953 Arc User
    The PD is overrated in my opinion, and the later years of TNG got really anal about it.

    57627517.jpg

    ;)<3

    ANAL!!!!!


    With that out of the way......I think the improvements should have been given...especially since the dire straights the earth was in, and it being 2 steps away from Mad Max.
    :D:D

    Ahhh, but Earth (as we saw it) had gone Mad Max, and come out the other side by itself :) Without reaching that social level by themselves, they might not have had the collective incentive to continue to improve, but just stagnated at that Mad Max-level of what was essentially feudalism.

    If the Kentari can come to the realisation on their own that they could do better, to actually see that they can be better, that should be more inspiring to their people as a whole, than simply having someone else clear up their mess after them, and thus not gaining that inspiration to strive even further :)
    "I fight for the Users!" - Tron

    "I was here before you, I will be here after you are gone. I am here, regardless of your acknowledgement or acceptance..." - The Truth
  • wildman38ewildman38e Member Posts: 43 Arc User
    > @darthmeow504 said:
    > piatmini wrote: »
    >
    > tl;dr: This episode had a ton of potential, but blatant bias made it feel like a piece of propaganda (which, ironically, is one of the things the episode is criticizing).
    >
    > I agree that the differences from criticizing an issue (racism/xenophobia), and mocking a person (Trump) is quite large. Besides, if you are going hate a group of people because you claim they hate a different group of people... well you see how that goes. That said, I don't think the episode was bad because of the blatant real world references, but because it was so one-sided.
    >
    >
    >
    >
    > There's your problem, you were looking for something to be offended by. You projected Donald Trump onto the defense minister when there is nothing tying him to anyone real at all, and then got butthurt over the insult that you constructed in your own mind.

    people look for something that is not there, or reasons to be upset, but really i loved it,
  • warpangelwarpangel Member Posts: 9,427 Arc User
    warpangel wrote: »
    It occurs to me that this episode exposes a flaw in the Prime Directive, or at least the necessity for a standing exception. And the reason is that the natural development cycle of technology creates a harmful bottleneck that damages civilizations, for no gain.

    The fact is, it's a hell of a lot easier to create uncontrolled fusion and weaponize it (aka the hydrogen bomb) than it is to produce controlled fusion for power. This creates all kinds of problems for civilizations that may otherwise have good intentions but are held back by a lack of technical ability to solve the puzzle of fusion power.

    I say it should become policy to covertly supply the technical capability for safe and clean fusion power to any species that already has the hydrogen bomb, presuming they are seeking it. The reason is that they already have the dangerous weaponized version of the technology and so it can't make things any worse, and it doesn't benefit their social or cultural development to be stuck with hydrocarbons and other such inferior energy sources while their scientists work to crack safe controlled fusion power. We might as well covertly help them get there.
    Except that's not a flaw, it's the design purpose of it. The Prime Directive is an artifact of a society that values culture over life. It is not to benefit the development of alien civilizations, but to preserve whatever "natural" uniqueness they have that Starfleet considers itself to be above and beyond, even if it leads to their destruction. There's so many episodes that have laid this out to bare.

    That the kentari's uniqueness is poisoned air and Captain Planet villains is, as far as the PD is concerned...their problem.
    ^^^ This.

    After First Contact, Vulcan could have supplied technology to boost Earth's research into warp drive, but they didn't, for I believe, two reasons. One, it would have been interfering in the technological development (and as a result cultural development) of humanity. The other, is along the line of the parable: Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, he'll feed himself for a lifetime. I (admitedly a presumption) believe that the Vulcans were of that opinion, and felt that humanity needed to make its advances on its own, through its own endeavours, rather than simply 'being given' the improvement.

    Uplifting may seem like a noble and charitable act, but is it really? Taking into account that radically changing a fundamental aspect of a society, is going to massively impact those living in that society. The aim may be noble, but the implications could be massive, and maybe more than a society is ready to deal with.

    I get your point, but I'm talking about a very specific action to be taken in very specific circumstances. To qualify for covert assistance (meaning we help their scientists without revealing who we are or that aliens exist), the species would have to meet two criteria:

    1) They must already have weaponized fusion, aka the hydrogen bomb, meaning their gaining of fusion power generation tech won't put them at any risk of thermonuclear war they're not already under.

    and

    2) They must be actively seeking fusion power for peaceful purposes.

    If both criteria are met, Federation agents would act in a covert fashion to aid their scientists in cracking controlled fusion for power generation. They wouldn't reveal themselves, or initiate First Contact, or interfere in any other way. They would simply assist the local scientists in a subtle way to help them along in their research.

    I'm aware that the Prime Directive as currently written does not allow this, don't say "it's against the Prime Directive!" as reason to shoot it down. My proposal would be, from an in-universe perspective, that the Directive be amended to include such a policy. You can presume my character captain has already written a letter to Command to that effect, in hopes that Command might consider it.

    If you were a member of Command and the measure came up for a vote, would you vote yay or nay?
    There's no point doing anything in a covert fashion with the kentari, since they already know we're here. If they request help, we'll probably help them, just like the lukari. If they don't, then we'll leave them alone.

    Of course, there is the rather polarized nature of the political climate to take into consideration. In all likelyhood some of them will want help and others tell us to go to hell. I'd like to think we'd help the faction that wants help even if the others don't...but as said Starfleet values culture over life so unfortunately I could totally see them refuse to treat these people as individuals with the right to make their own choices.

    As for actually primitive civilizations, there would likely be a lot more important targets for social engineering than fusion power research. The big technologies are the last step of responsible uplifting, not the first.
  • silverlobes#2676 silverlobes Member Posts: 1,953 Arc User
    warpangel wrote: »
    It occurs to me that this episode exposes a flaw in the Prime Directive, or at least the necessity for a standing exception. And the reason is that the natural development cycle of technology creates a harmful bottleneck that damages civilizations, for no gain.

    The fact is, it's a hell of a lot easier to create uncontrolled fusion and weaponize it (aka the hydrogen bomb) than it is to produce controlled fusion for power. This creates all kinds of problems for civilizations that may otherwise have good intentions but are held back by a lack of technical ability to solve the puzzle of fusion power.

    I say it should become policy to covertly supply the technical capability for safe and clean fusion power to any species that already has the hydrogen bomb, presuming they are seeking it. The reason is that they already have the dangerous weaponized version of the technology and so it can't make things any worse, and it doesn't benefit their social or cultural development to be stuck with hydrocarbons and other such inferior energy sources while their scientists work to crack safe controlled fusion power. We might as well covertly help them get there.
    Except that's not a flaw, it's the design purpose of it. The Prime Directive is an artifact of a society that values culture over life. It is not to benefit the development of alien civilizations, but to preserve whatever "natural" uniqueness they have that Starfleet considers itself to be above and beyond, even if it leads to their destruction. There's so many episodes that have laid this out to bare.

    That the kentari's uniqueness is poisoned air and Captain Planet villains is, as far as the PD is concerned...their problem.
    ^^^ This.

    After First Contact, Vulcan could have supplied technology to boost Earth's research into warp drive, but they didn't, for I believe, two reasons. One, it would have been interfering in the technological development (and as a result cultural development) of humanity. The other, is along the line of the parable: Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, he'll feed himself for a lifetime. I (admitedly a presumption) believe that the Vulcans were of that opinion, and felt that humanity needed to make its advances on its own, through its own endeavours, rather than simply 'being given' the improvement.

    Uplifting may seem like a noble and charitable act, but is it really? Taking into account that radically changing a fundamental aspect of a society, is going to massively impact those living in that society. The aim may be noble, but the implications could be massive, and maybe more than a society is ready to deal with.

    I get your point, but I'm talking about a very specific action to be taken in very specific circumstances. To qualify for covert assistance (meaning we help their scientists without revealing who we are or that aliens exist), the species would have to meet two criteria:

    1) They must already have weaponized fusion, aka the hydrogen bomb, meaning their gaining of fusion power generation tech won't put them at any risk of thermonuclear war they're not already under.

    and

    2) They must be actively seeking fusion power for peaceful purposes.

    If both criteria are met, Federation agents would act in a covert fashion to aid their scientists in cracking controlled fusion for power generation. They wouldn't reveal themselves, or initiate First Contact, or interfere in any other way. They would simply assist the local scientists in a subtle way to help them along in their research.

    I'm aware that the Prime Directive as currently written does not allow this, don't say "it's against the Prime Directive!" as reason to shoot it down. My proposal would be, from an in-universe perspective, that the Directive be amended to include such a policy. You can presume my character captain has already written a letter to Command to that effect, in hopes that Command might consider it.

    If you were a member of Command and the measure came up for a vote, would you vote yay or nay?

    Nay

    -Creating an exception to a rule, is only inviting other 'exceptions' to be enacted or created.

    -My thoughts are as they were with my original post. The cultural changes which developing fusion power would potentially bring about, must have internal impetus, rather than being created from an external source.

    Natural cultural development and evolution, can only come within, no matter how much one might want to change the criteria just to allow ones own stance :)
    "I fight for the Users!" - Tron

    "I was here before you, I will be here after you are gone. I am here, regardless of your acknowledgement or acceptance..." - The Truth
  • silverlobes#2676 silverlobes Member Posts: 1,953 Arc User
    If you were a member of Command and the measure came up for a vote, would you vote yay or nay?

    Nay

    -Creating an exception to a rule, is only inviting other 'exceptions' to be enacted or created.

    -My thoughts are as they were with my original post. The cultural changes which developing fusion power would potentially bring about, must have internal impetus, rather than being created from an external source.

    Natural cultural development and evolution, can only come within, no matter how much one might want to change the criteria just to allow ones own stance :)

    I counter with the wise words of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, who said "...the question of justice has concerned me greatly of late. And I say ...there can be no justice so long as laws are absolute. Even life itself is an exercise in exceptions.
    Words written by Melinda Snodgrass, I believe? I refuse to be cowed by, or panda to, the mouthpiece of someone so full of 'liberal vigour', that the mere mention of her president, actually causes an emotional melt-down. She's entitled to her opinions, but if I refused to be beaten about the head with them on a personal basis, I absolutely refuse to be beaten about the head with them third-hand :D
    One cannot merely cite fear of a slippery slope to block any and all amendment to the law, each proposal must be considered on its own merits to determine if it is in keeping with the spirit of the law and the purpose to which it was enacted. One must trust the process by which law and policy is legislated to prevent spaghetti law, not taking what is now and freezing it in carbonite for all time.
    One can do anything one wants, and is obliged to trust nothing. Laws are mutable and man-made. They can be changed for better or for worse.

    You asked me for a yay or nay vote, which I provided, as well as my reasons for my choice. Please don't presume to lecture me about them because you disagree with my opinion or choice of vote :)

    If you want to pretend that your character has written a stern letter to Admiral Quinn suggesting this change in policy, by all means, feel free, but please don't expect others to feel beholden to it :)
    As to to your concern that cultural development and evolution must come from an internal impetus, tat is why the second criterion exists. To qualify for covert assistance, they must already be seeking the technology and have the willingness to implement it and thus their culture has already reached the necessary level of development. At that point it is not their culture that is lacking, it is their ability to crack a difficult technological puzzle. They want it, they're ready for it, they're seeking it, but it's difficult. They will get there, it's only a matter of time. The only thing this assistance would change is to accelerate the timetable slightly. By doing so, much unnecessary suffering and loss of life can be prevented.
    And as I said, you're changing the goalposts to suit your argument. That's not giving a better argument, it's just fixing the outcome so as to try not to lose.

    When faced with an 'option' like that, I will always vote counter to it on principle, because the process itself is being manipulated :)
    "I fight for the Users!" - Tron

    "I was here before you, I will be here after you are gone. I am here, regardless of your acknowledgement or acceptance..." - The Truth
  • silverlobes#2676 silverlobes Member Posts: 1,953 Arc User
    If you were a member of Command and the measure came up for a vote, would you vote yay or nay?

    Nay

    -Creating an exception to a rule, is only inviting other 'exceptions' to be enacted or created.

    -My thoughts are as they were with my original post. The cultural changes which developing fusion power would potentially bring about, must have internal impetus, rather than being created from an external source.

    Natural cultural development and evolution, can only come within, no matter how much one might want to change the criteria just to allow ones own stance :)

    I counter with the wise words of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, who said "...the question of justice has concerned me greatly of late. And I say ...there can be no justice so long as laws are absolute. Even life itself is an exercise in exceptions.
    Words written by Melinda Snodgrass, I believe? I refuse to be cowed by, or panda to, the mouthpiece of someone so full of 'liberal vigour', that the mere mention of her president, actually causes an emotional melt-down. She's entitled to her opinions, but if I refused to be beaten about the head with them on a personal basis, I absolutely refuse to be beaten about the head with them third-hand :D
    One cannot merely cite fear of a slippery slope to block any and all amendment to the law, each proposal must be considered on its own merits to determine if it is in keeping with the spirit of the law and the purpose to which it was enacted. One must trust the process by which law and policy is legislated to prevent spaghetti law, not taking what is now and freezing it in carbonite for all time.
    One can do anything one wants, and is obliged to trust nothing. Laws are mutable and man-made. They can be changed for better or for worse.

    You asked me for a yay or nay vote, which I provided, as well as my reasons for my choice. Please don't presume to lecture me about them because you disagree with my opinion or choice of vote :)

    If you want to pretend that your character has written a stern letter to Admiral Quinn suggesting this change in policy, by all means, feel free, but please don't expect others to feel beholden to it :)
    As to to your concern that cultural development and evolution must come from an internal impetus, tat is why the second criterion exists. To qualify for covert assistance, they must already be seeking the technology and have the willingness to implement it and thus their culture has already reached the necessary level of development. At that point it is not their culture that is lacking, it is their ability to crack a difficult technological puzzle. They want it, they're ready for it, they're seeking it, but it's difficult. They will get there, it's only a matter of time. The only thing this assistance would change is to accelerate the timetable slightly. By doing so, much unnecessary suffering and loss of life can be prevented.
    And as I said, you're changing the goalposts to suit your argument. That's not giving a better argument, it's just fixing the outcome so as to try not to lose.

    When faced with an 'option' like that, I will always vote counter to it on principle, because the process itself is being manipulated :)

    I don't see how I'm moving the goalposts when everything I said is in the original proposal --I'm simply explaining it in more detail. Nothing has changed.

    And you are of course beholden to nothing. The whole point is to have an enjoyable debate where ideas are explored and tested. I can't change canon and even if a hundred other forumites chimed in with "aye" votes it would still hold exactly zero weight with the developers of the game much less the writers of screen Trek at CBS and Paramount. This is just for fun.
    You're not changing the goalposts of the conditions you gave, but you're changing the goalposts for the criteria for the Prime Directive, to enable your proposition :)

    My opinion is still, like that of the Vulcans in Enterprise, that All Discoveries which impact the future of a society, Must come From that society :)

    Also, with regards Picard, remember his stance on the Prime Directive when it came to the Klingon Civil war; He was more than prepared to uphold the absolute letter of the law ;)

    I think patrickngo said it better than I can:
    but no system concieved by people could ever be perfect enough to prevent abuses or subversions, especially well intentioned subversions from within...

    :)
    "I fight for the Users!" - Tron

    "I was here before you, I will be here after you are gone. I am here, regardless of your acknowledgement or acceptance..." - The Truth
  • markhawkmanmarkhawkman Member Posts: 35,236 Arc User
    Even the PD as presented in TOS valued culture over individuals. Also, it was probably written by Vulcans.

    It wasn't until TNG that a captain used it as a reason to not do anything. And in at least one case it seemed to be more of an excuse than a legitimate reason. The case of the Ornarans and Brekkians, for example, he felt that if he told the Ornarans the truth it'd cause a war. (While the Brekkians felt it was an internal matter and thus protected, you could also argue that since the Ornarans and Brekkians are separate civilizations, it's a matter of the Brekkians interfering with the natural development of the Ornarns) So he chose a third option. Which was to not give the Ornarans the spare parts they wanted. Granted, this was expected to lead to the collapse of both societies. But in the case of the Ornarans it'd probably only be a matter of months for the worst of it to pass.
    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
    My character Tsin'xing
    Costume_marhawkman_Tsin%27xing_CC_Comic_Page_Blue_488916968.jpg
  • warpangelwarpangel Member Posts: 9,427 Arc User
    Even the PD as presented in TOS valued culture over individuals. Also, it was probably written by Vulcans.

    It wasn't until TNG that a captain used it as a reason to not do anything. And in at least one case it seemed to be more of an excuse than a legitimate reason. The case of the Ornarans and Brekkians, for example, he felt that if he told the Ornarans the truth it'd cause a war. (While the Brekkians felt it was an internal matter and thus protected, you could also argue that since the Ornarans and Brekkians are separate civilizations, it's a matter of the Brekkians interfering with the natural development of the Ornarns) So he chose a third option. Which was to not give the Ornarans the spare parts they wanted. Granted, this was expected to lead to the collapse of both societies. But in the case of the Ornarans it'd probably only be a matter of months for the worst of it to pass.
    I don't know, the vulcans seemed pretty reasonable about the matter in Enterprise. Their interactions with humans may not have been entirely altruistic, but they never took a "do nothing and dismiss any disaster as natural development" -position either.

    On the other hand, Phlox's take on the subject (before an actual directive even existed) made me sick.
  • smokebaileysmokebailey Member Posts: 4,667 Arc User
    I also found it silly of the "if you don't have warp drive, you suck!" policy of the TNG PD.

    TOS had SF meeting worlds that did not even have space travel.

    Worst PD episode was "first contact", the episode, not the film. Where dealing with a planet's government, rather than the people, is a BIG mistake, since history shows government does not have the interests of the people, but their own special interest, at heart.
    dvZq2Aj.jpg
  • markhawkmanmarkhawkman Member Posts: 35,236 Arc User
    warpangel wrote: »
    Even the PD as presented in TOS valued culture over individuals. Also, it was probably written by Vulcans.

    It wasn't until TNG that a captain used it as a reason to not do anything. And in at least one case it seemed to be more of an excuse than a legitimate reason. The case of the Ornarans and Brekkians, for example, he felt that if he told the Ornarans the truth it'd cause a war. (While the Brekkians felt it was an internal matter and thus protected, you could also argue that since the Ornarans and Brekkians are separate civilizations, it's a matter of the Brekkians interfering with the natural development of the Ornarns) So he chose a third option. Which was to not give the Ornarans the spare parts they wanted. Granted, this was expected to lead to the collapse of both societies. But in the case of the Ornarans it'd probably only be a matter of months for the worst of it to pass.
    I don't know, the vulcans seemed pretty reasonable about the matter in Enterprise. Their interactions with humans may not have been entirely altruistic, but they never took a "do nothing and dismiss any disaster as natural development" -position either.

    On the other hand, Phlox's take on the subject (before an actual directive even existed) made me sick.
    In the movie First Contact, it was mentioned that the Vulcans had known of the existence of Humans for a long time, but thought Humans were "too primitive" to be worth talking to.
    I also found it silly of the "if you don't have warp drive, you suck!" policy of the TNG PD.

    TOS had SF meeting worlds that did not even have space travel.
    Well, there are multiple reasons, it's not just warp drive. Although, yeah, we don't know exactly why Kirk went to Eminiar. It might be that they did have space travel capability that they chose not to use for some reason? Angel One was specified as the Feds going there because the planet had already been interfered with. Granted that was seemingly accidental since the Odin crash landed on the planet before mating with the locals.
    Worst PD episode was "first contact", the episode, not the film. Where dealing with a planet's government, rather than the people, is a BIG mistake, since history shows government does not have the interests of the people, but their own special interest, at heart.
    That got brought up in a big way in the episodes about the Angosians, and the Kes/Prytt.
    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
    My character Tsin'xing
    Costume_marhawkman_Tsin%27xing_CC_Comic_Page_Blue_488916968.jpg
  • legendarylycan#5411 legendarylycan Member Posts: 37,282 Arc User
    not only did the vulcans know of our existence, they gave us velcro​​
    Like special weapons from other Star Trek games? Wondering if they can be replicated in STO even a little bit? Check this out: https://forum.arcgames.com/startrekonline/discussion/1262277/a-mostly-comprehensive-guide-to-star-trek-videogame-special-weapons-and-their-sto-equivalents

    #LegalizeAwoo

    A normie goes "Oh, what's this?"
    An otaku goes "UwU, what's this?"
    A furry goes "OwO, what's this?"
    A werewolf goes "Awoo, what's this?"


    "It's nothing personal, I just don't feel like I've gotten to know a person until I've sniffed their crotch."
    "We said 'no' to Mr. Curiosity. We're not home. Curiosity is not welcome, it is not to be invited in. Curiosity...is bad. It gets you in trouble, it gets you killed, and more importantly...it makes you poor!"
    Passion and Serenity are one.
    I gain power by understanding both.
    In the chaos of their battle, I bring order.
    I am a shadow, darkness born from light.
    The Force is united within me.
  • warpangelwarpangel Member Posts: 9,427 Arc User
    warpangel wrote: »
    Even the PD as presented in TOS valued culture over individuals. Also, it was probably written by Vulcans.

    It wasn't until TNG that a captain used it as a reason to not do anything. And in at least one case it seemed to be more of an excuse than a legitimate reason. The case of the Ornarans and Brekkians, for example, he felt that if he told the Ornarans the truth it'd cause a war. (While the Brekkians felt it was an internal matter and thus protected, you could also argue that since the Ornarans and Brekkians are separate civilizations, it's a matter of the Brekkians interfering with the natural development of the Ornarns) So he chose a third option. Which was to not give the Ornarans the spare parts they wanted. Granted, this was expected to lead to the collapse of both societies. But in the case of the Ornarans it'd probably only be a matter of months for the worst of it to pass.
    I don't know, the vulcans seemed pretty reasonable about the matter in Enterprise. Their interactions with humans may not have been entirely altruistic, but they never took a "do nothing and dismiss any disaster as natural development" -position either.

    On the other hand, Phlox's take on the subject (before an actual directive even existed) made me sick.
    In the movie First Contact, it was mentioned that the Vulcans had known of the existence of Humans for a long time, but thought Humans were "too primitive" to be worth talking to.
    But there's a big difference thinking your neighbors are too dumb to be worth talking to vs seeing their house on fire and deciding not to call for help because burning to death is part of their "natural development."
  • markhawkmanmarkhawkman Member Posts: 35,236 Arc User
    Well, they kinda did. Aside from a few accidental encounters, they didn't do anything at all. I personally feel that the PD makes the most sense when viewed from a political standpoint. It's more about acting Noble than doing anything.
    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
    My character Tsin'xing
    Costume_marhawkman_Tsin%27xing_CC_Comic_Page_Blue_488916968.jpg
  • warpangelwarpangel Member Posts: 9,427 Arc User
    Well, they kinda did. Aside from a few accidental encounters, they didn't do anything at all. I personally feel that the PD makes the most sense when viewed from a political standpoint. It's more about acting Noble than doing anything.
    Possibly, yes. At least from the legal side of things. It has government CYA written all over it. But then it's often defended by characters who are definitely not politicians. And not in a grudging, but-it's-the-law, necessary evil kind of way, but as an ideology they actually believe in.

    Characters in a position to stop some massive disaster or help in the aftermath, actually arguing the victims deserve to suffer and die just because they were born on the wrong planet.
  • markhawkmanmarkhawkman Member Posts: 35,236 Arc User
    the only one like that I can think of is Picard. His case though... was a lot more passive that you make it sound. Truthfully, most captains seem to support it in spirit only.
    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
    My character Tsin'xing
    Costume_marhawkman_Tsin%27xing_CC_Comic_Page_Blue_488916968.jpg
  • smokebaileysmokebailey Member Posts: 4,667 Arc User
    warpangel wrote: »
    warpangel wrote: »
    Even the PD as presented in TOS valued culture over individuals. Also, it was probably written by Vulcans.

    It wasn't until TNG that a captain used it as a reason to not do anything. And in at least one case it seemed to be more of an excuse than a legitimate reason. The case of the Ornarans and Brekkians, for example, he felt that if he told the Ornarans the truth it'd cause a war. (While the Brekkians felt it was an internal matter and thus protected, you could also argue that since the Ornarans and Brekkians are separate civilizations, it's a matter of the Brekkians interfering with the natural development of the Ornarns) So he chose a third option. Which was to not give the Ornarans the spare parts they wanted. Granted, this was expected to lead to the collapse of both societies. But in the case of the Ornarans it'd probably only be a matter of months for the worst of it to pass.
    I don't know, the vulcans seemed pretty reasonable about the matter in Enterprise. Their interactions with humans may not have been entirely altruistic, but they never took a "do nothing and dismiss any disaster as natural development" -position either.

    On the other hand, Phlox's take on the subject (before an actual directive even existed) made me sick.
    In the movie First Contact, it was mentioned that the Vulcans had known of the existence of Humans for a long time, but thought Humans were "too primitive" to be worth talking to.
    But there's a big difference thinking your neighbors are too dumb to be worth talking to vs seeing their house on fire and deciding not to call for help because burning to death is part of their "natural development."

    Yep, Worf's adopted brother got in hot water for SAVING a non warp planet from disaster.


    Was he supposed to let them DIE horribly, and 'maintain' their natural development? Sounds pretty elitist to me.
    dvZq2Aj.jpg
Sign In or Register to comment.