We return to Ryan and Tim’s discussion of the episode, all of Tim’s “additions” removed for the preservation of your enjoyment.
Tim – One might also wonder at how Ensign Kim and Captain Janeway might have rationalized the clearly sexual interest being thrown their way (and reciprocated), especially since both have very publicly and firmly established that they have significant others back home. I mean, they aren’t Paris. C’mon.
Ryan – For a while there, I thought there had to be some chemical in the atmosphere that was flooding their brains with euphoria and clouding their senses, but I guess hedonism is just that contagious. It seemed like there was a soft philosophical point being made there that advances in technology on that level lead to an uptick in self-gratification and hedonistic behavior.
Tim – Mmm, I could see that. Much akin to how, nowadays, watching non-streaming television is borderline painful. And aye, I think in Kim’s case there was an actual mention that something in the air caused euphoria (among other feelings, I am sure). So it wouldn’t be a surprise to me if there was a discarded plot point about the Sikarians utilizing that on their own planet…although that’s pure speculation.
Ryan – So I want to circle back just one more time to the center moral dilemma of the episode. Would it have been ethical for Janeway to break Sleazeon law and acquire technology from a superior culture to find their way home?
Tim – Hmm
Ryan – Clearly there’s hypocrisy there…
Tim – Well, if one is a Utilitarian, absolutely. The show (and Star Trek in general) seems to be a bit more Kantian in their morality, though, and in that sense it isn’t. And I suppose you’re right, there is a bit of a hypocrisy- although, as is pointed out, many Star Fleet officers violate the Prime Directive in times where they feel it is ethically justified. Although just as many don’t, and I think Janeway falls into that latter camp. So for her it would have been a big hypocrisy.
Ryan – It felt like Janeway’s moral qualms here almost exceeded the expectations placed upon her by the Federation. Like Star Fleet (if it were a person) would have been more flexible than Janway was.
Tim – I think that, given Tuvok was even driven to do what he did, you’re absolutely right. I’m not sure a single member of that crew would have chosen to do what Janeway chose to do. Though, in part, that was why Tuvok did it too. To prevent mutiny (at least according to Memory Alpha- don’t recall that being explicitly stated in the show).
Ryan – Oooh, I don’t think I got the sense that there was quite going to be mutiny. I think he explicitly stated he did it to spare Janeway from having to face the moral dilemma herself (knowing that she was going to choose her sense of right over the chance to bring her crew home) But I think this was a bit more of an uncomfortable moment for Star Fleet than even the show realized. Think of all the alien species and the innumerable lives Star Fleet interference and technlogy could have saved – and with no greater risk of far reaching repercussions than incorporating advanced alien technology into a Federation ship.
Tim – Absolutely, and they do mention that. Once. But the group that decides to go out and just make the trade never seen to sit back and reflect on what that means regarding Star Fleet’s Prime Directive. If nothing else, it seems like they might be taking the route of “Well, we have the ability to take it.” In some of those other civilizations, they had no chance or ability. Sorta’ a Prime Directive Darwinism.
Ryan – It felt like we got a rare glimpse of a deep underlying arrogance in Star Fleet…and I don’t mean to say deep like it’s part of their core, but more like it’s almost subconscious.
Tim – Ah, yes! Well, it’s kind of ingrained into their philosophy, isn’t it? The Prime Directive, as I think of it, really is kind of a patronizing philosophy. Important, sure, but still a bit patronizing.
Ryan – That’s what I was trying to get at exactly.
Seth emerges from the shadows. Tim’s eyes widen and he lunges underneath the table, whimpering.
Seth – Regarding the Prime Directive, aside from it being there to keep the Federation from being an imperialist entity, I’ve always seen its use as being an ode to the Law of Unintended Consequences. Even a single piece of technology can have wide ranging effects on a culture. Obviously, the Sleazeoids (or whatever) were not primarily concerned with the ethical implications, but one can only imagine what kind of effect instantaneous travel across tens of thousands of light years might have on the Alpha Quadrant and the galaxy in general.
Ryan – I’m kind of thrilled my off-handed renaming of the alien race in this episode stuck. I think that’s an excellent re-phrasing of the Prime Directive as being a shield against the law of unintended consequences. Torres and co nearly destroyed Voyager trying to utilize advanced technology they thought they understood.
Seth – And who can say what effects centuries worth of Ideas in the form of literature might have on the Sleazeoids? On the other hand, there is an undercurrent of arrogance because it presupposes other cultures as being extremely fragile. The TNG episode I referred to during the last discussion made the assumption that a “religious experience” brought on by accidental first contact with a single person could reverse an entire culture’s trend towards secularization. There’s this idealistic, dare-I-say American notion of a need to preserve things untouched like human hands, which haven’t existed for a very long time on Earth, but we can still reach out to via space travel.
Ryan – There’s a paternalistic undertone to the Prime Directive as well that you’re hitting on, an arrogance in assuming other cultures will have their minds figuratively blown to bits after being shown an idea a couple centuries ahead (sort of like depictions of various native cultures on Earth being convinced that the camera was stealing their soul). I really felt the presence of that patronizing attitude when the Voyager crew was so eagerly talking about casting the principle behind the P.D. aside when they were on the other side of it.
Join us next week for another installment of Roundtable Voyager! We’ll be discussing Star Trek: Voyager s01e11 “State of Flux.” If you would like, watch the episode ahead of time and contribute your own thoughts in the comments of this post! We’d love to have you help shape our discussion! Or, if you’re more interested in “Prime Factors”, was there anything you feel we missed, or theories about the episode that you would like to share? Feel free to share your own thoughts in the comments section below!
This past weekend Team AcaGameia held their second annual charity marathon to help raise money for Hurley Children’s Hospital. Thanks to the support of our family and friends, we successfully managed to exceed our fundraising efforts from last year and, with company matching, break our goal of raising $2000 for the Children’s Hospital. This couldn’t have been done without the generosity and open hearts of every one of our friends and family- so, thank you. Thank you if you donated, thank you if watched, thank you if you shared our charity with your friends, thank you for your kind words of support. No matter what you did, it was amazing and well-received. Here’s to next year!
