For those of you here who think the prime directive is flawed, or could be adjusted.
What do you agree with, how would you change what you disagree with, and why?
For those of you here who think the prime directive is flawed, or could be adjusted.
What do you agree with, how would you change what you disagree with, and why?
One thing you hear sometimes is that they only really contact people once they have FTL because then it becomes impossible to just ignore them.
Which raises the question, is ignoring people’s plight something you want to do? I guess its a trolley problem. It also sounds kinda imperialistic.
The zoo hypothesis is even more imperialistic. A civilization should have some rights regardless of whether it has FTL.
But the core point of not being imposing is noble.
I would argue that waiting for FTL is a very good strategy.
Its not there because you can no longer ignore them, but it means they are ready to leave their star system and are ready to joing the galactic community. Its also a kind of a test, as developing an FTL requires certain understanding of both science and technology, and as Harkonnen explained very well, this insures that those people have a sufficient level of intelligence to be an equal participant in the galactic community.
Also, its not really ignoring them. Its shielding them from the more advanced technology and problems that they are not ready to face. Also, they have rights. They have rights to live and to evolve at their on pace. Any such world in Federation teritory is protected from any interference by a FTL capable species. Otherwise, they would be enslaved like in Stargate universe.
It would be pretty cool to see some episodes on some non Federation rase (like Cardassians or something) enslaving newly discovered civilisation.