Amph [NERRRD] Observations, rhetorical questions, comments & 55 Years of Star Trek (General Thread)

Just interesting how Roddenberry could predict flip phones but not mass media.

Or rather, he could have but chose not to use them.


Of course now we have to deal with Beastie Boys sabotaged. So I guess I can see his point.

 

I think the idea was that television was a lazy form of entertainment. There's this idea that everyone in the future spends all their time improving themselves. Reading classic literature, listening to or performing classical music, performing classic plays; these are all high artistic pursuits.

We know that no one technically needs a job in the future, yet everyone pursues some kind of work, anyway. Usually something that contributes to society. No one just sits around and plays video games all day.

I'm aware this might be somewhat contradicted by bits of canon, but it was always the idea I got from watching TNG, especially the early seasons helmed by Roddenberry. Later, there's television in both DS9 (Nog on the holodeck) and Voyager (Paris had a television).

 

cerealbox Mass media existed before the internet. And TNG (Mike Okuda) "predicted" tablet computers!

Well, we mostly only ever see Starfleet characters and people such as scientists and diplomats and political officials. We don't see a whole lot of "normal" people-- those who may not be good enough for Starfleet and probably don't want to be in it. We do occasionally get human/Federation characters who don't like and distrust Starfleet. Starfleet is basically a (more-or-less) peace-loving military force; people are held to a certain standard, especially on a prestigious posting such as the Enterprise. Barclay did what many people would do with the Holodeck, but everyone else was baffled by it (even Riker, who had fallen in love with a holodeck character, lol).

 

I could never understand how Oicard's older brother continues to only operate a vineyard. And that's it. Come on. It's the future.

 

I don't think people were baffled by his behavior on the Holodeck, just the program utilizing fellow crewmembers (I seem to recall that being Riker's complaint). Given the seemingly normal nature of Quark's holosuites being used as brothels I think folks were aware...

 

Like CT said, he doesn't really need a job anyway. And he's an old fogie in order to serve as a foil to his brother. I think it worked well.

He didn't know what Barclay was doing on the holodeck at first. What bothered him was Barclay not doing his duty to the best of his ability.

And I mean they're baffled that someone could be so immersed in the holodeck at all.

 

Agreed. Data paints, writes poetry and plays the violin. Picard also dabbles in music a little bit and Crusher is an amateur actor, while Riker plays jazz.

I think its subtly implied that Tom is a bit of a pop culture nerd. Not only does he have a TV, and a juke box, but his Captain Proton program is blatantly influenced by 30s pulp sci-fi and adventure serials.

 

Subtly? They had entire episodes devoted to his love of 20th century pop culture!

 

Well, yeah they explored that aspect of his character more fully later on, but in the The 37s, for example, everyone was really surprised that he knew what AM radio was.

 

We have seen a few normal folks in civilian places. Waiters and other servers. Surely that job isn't necessary? Sisko's dad runs a restaurant in an era of replicators. While Jake and Nog play around a lot, Jake ends up dabbling in writing and journalism.

There are lots of little bits that point to humanity outgrowing mindless entertainment the way humanity "outgrew" revenge or the pursuit of wealth.

But yeah, there are things that contradict this. In "The Neutral Zone", the unfrozen hillbilly asks about the "boob tube". Data says television didn't last much beyond 2040. Yet, first contact with the Vulcans was in 2063? The year 2040 would have been in the middle of WWIII. Though I suppose it's possible that they didn't really have the timeline down all that well back in the first season of TNG.

Also in "The Neutral Zone", Picard says this to the rich guy:

"The challenge, Mister Offenhouse, is to improve yourself. To enrich yourself. Enjoy it."

Enjoy improving yourself, enriching yourself. Not enjoy being a layabout.

In "When The Bough Breaks", children are kidnapped and encouraged to be artists and musicians.

Of course there's the line in First Contact.

"The acquisition of wealth is no longer the driving force in our lives. We work to better ourselves and the rest of humanity."

This sentiment is littered throughout TNG, and I take it as a sort of Word of God description of humanity.

In "Bloodlines", the one with Picard's fake son, we get this.

PICARD: What were you doing in the caves, Jason? Are you a seismologist?
JASON: No, I just enjoy climbing.
PICARD: Without an antigrav harness?
JASON: No, they get in the way.
PICARD: So, what do you do?
JASON: I'm between jobs right now.
PICARD: I see.

The idea of someone doing nothing doesn't seem to sit well.


This is just my take, of course. I may be taking the idea a bit too far.

 

Lest we forget...

 

Daughter of the Seventh House of Betazed, Holder of the Sacred Chalice of Ryx, Heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed. And a fine nurse, to boot.

 

Spoiler

CAAAAAAANNEEE......CAAAAANNNEEEEE!!!!

 

Happy Birthday to...

 

Good. Some ideas are just too terrible to merit development.

 

Yeah. Just because you can mash up two unrelated franchises doesn't automatically mean that you should.

 

On this date in 1967, this was broadcast over NBC-TV...

 

Shatner is absolute gold in Tribbles. He doesn't find the Tribbles really cute either, he's just squarely focused on getting that grain shipment and generally everything is irritating him, from the station commander on down.

As for me, I am going to hold a lonely memorial for the Alien vs Star Trek: TNG crossover. I would have loved every page of it. It would have been so splatter-y. Although I would just randomly guess that the series would probably kick off, continue at least until May and Fox didn't exactly want to have their comic license promoting Star Trek around the time Alien: Covenant hits (and theoretically also the month when Star Trek: Discovery premieres). Also I'm sure DH would like to have Pure Aliens Branded Books on the shelf on May when the movie hits and not a wacky crossover.

There's always September 2016, hahahah.

 

The bar brawl is hilarious. Scotty doesn't care if you insult Captain Kirk, but he'll beat the crap out of anyone who insults the Enterprise.

 

For Voyager fans: BBCAmerica is going to start airing the series from the beginning, starting at Midnight.

 

Voyager? No thanks, I'm busy whenever that's on.