I’m a huge star trek fan. I like it for its background more than its space structure but I can’t stand for the prime directive.
Maybe you don’t know but the whole structure of the opera is based on a utopic civilization that works only for self-determination.
It has a lot of defects but we are going to look at this in another moment…
Otherwise, in his space component, there is an aspect I always hated: The prime directive…
This is the most sacred pillar of the federation and basically, prevents the captains and crews of the federation to interfere with the evolution of species that still didn’t evolve interstellar space travel.
This means that if a species is at risk to be destroyed by a natural disaster or a war or a technological problem we can’t help them.
Well! That’s a fictional structure but let’s think for a moment that this is a real scenario.
How can you, a Captain, an explorer, a person that wants to see different worlds and speak about peace and humanity, stay there to observe the destruction of a species because you did an oath?
How can you basically make an oath on a similar directive?
Personally, I couldn’t. Because if I see someone in danger or in the arms of a bully idiot damn if I’ll try to help him.
It is for this that James Kirk is one of my favorite captains because he tries to help every time he can. He violates the prime directive pretty much more times than he doesn’t but well! He has defects as well.
Awfully this is the mirror of our community but I really hope that the concept of exploration could change from tourism to traveling because there is the key to use progress to help other people.
However beyond the act of avoiding a species to be destroyed. I think that this law should be kept into consideration if speaking about the first contact when WE are the most advantage side.
The reason is easily understandable if we look at us. What would happen if more advantage aliens enter in contact with us? Well! Nothing good.
We are not even able to fully understand the diversity on this planet, So why should we being able to don’t start a war when the act of not being alone in the universe will be a fact?
We never know which effect this reality can have on a species that didn’t start to fully travel the space.
For this, we had to have to different directives: A non-interference one and a first contact one. But never forget that maybe they could need a small help.
-ldmarchesi
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The equinox paradox – A star trek concept