SNW: Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach

[Mabus]

https://sfdebris.com/videos/startrek/w106.php

Along with the Xeno-Gorn, probably one of the worst things to have come out of SNW.
Ursula Le Guin's original short story is more of a "what if" scenario rather than a proper story, and thus it's not something that can be translated into something more solid without changing the story to some degree. The setting of the original story takes place in a remote location, low tech, where, people have few options besides staying and leaving. But in the Star Trek universe, with thousands if not more habitable planets some even well outside the sphere of influence of expanding powers, there's no reason why anyone on Majalis, a very advanced warp-capable civilization, would be comfortable living on a doomed planet when you could just pack your stuff and go somewhere else. No, one colony failing doesn't mean living on another planet isn't possible, it just means bad planning. I mean, come on, the Federation creates outer colonies every 2 episodes.

Also, whatever solution dr. M'Benga got for his daughter's illness, is rendered pointless by the fact that 2 episodes later she's saved by that magic space cloud, so this subplot was a complete waste of time.

[CharlesPhipps]

https://sfdebris.com/videos/startrek/w106.php

Along with the Xeno-Gorn, probably one of the worst things to have come out of SNW.
Ursula Le Guin's original short story is more of a "what if" scenario rather than a proper story, and thus it's not something that can be translated into something more solid without changing the story to some degree. The setting of the original story takes place in a remote location, low tech, where, people have few options besides staying and leaving. But in the Star Trek universe, with thousands if not more habitable planets some even well outside the sphere of influence of expanding powers, there's no reason why anyone on Majalis, a very advanced warp-capable civilization, would be comfortable living on a doomed planet when you could just pack your stuff and go somewhere else. No, one colony failing doesn't mean living on another planet isn't possible, it just means bad planning. I mean, come on, the Federation creates outer colonies every 2 episodes.

Also, whatever solution dr. M'Benga got for his daughter's illness, is rendered pointless by the fact that 2 episodes later she's saved by that magic space cloud, so this subplot was a complete waste of time.

To be fair, that actually makes the Omelas story relevant as social satire.

"Western civilization is built on a lot of suffering children. Have you considered not living off that exploitation?"

[clearspira]

https://sfdebris.com/videos/startrek/w106.php

Along with the Xeno-Gorn, probably one of the worst things to have come out of SNW.
Ursula Le Guin's original short story is more of a "what if" scenario rather than a proper story, and thus it's not something that can be translated into something more solid without changing the story to some degree. The setting of the original story takes place in a remote location, low tech, where, people have few options besides staying and leaving. But in the Star Trek universe, with thousands if not more habitable planets some even well outside the sphere of influence of expanding powers, there's no reason why anyone on Majalis, a very advanced warp-capable civilization, would be comfortable living on a doomed planet when you could just pack your stuff and go somewhere else. No, one colony failing doesn't mean living on another planet isn't possible, it just means bad planning. I mean, come on, the Federation creates outer colonies every 2 episodes.

Also, whatever solution dr. M'Benga got for his daughter's illness, is rendered pointless by the fact that 2 episodes later she's saved by that magic space cloud, so this subplot was a complete waste of time.

Kind of the Krypton problem, especially in Man of Steel. The moment this species goes from ''Superman's spaceship is a prototype'' to ''more than one planet outside of the solar system'' the show is nonsense.

[clearspira]

https://sfdebris.com/videos/startrek/w106.php

Along with the Xeno-Gorn, probably one of the worst things to have come out of SNW.
Ursula Le Guin's original short story is more of a "what if" scenario rather than a proper story, and thus it's not something that can be translated into something more solid without changing the story to some degree. The setting of the original story takes place in a remote location, low tech, where, people have few options besides staying and leaving. But in the Star Trek universe, with thousands if not more habitable planets some even well outside the sphere of influence of expanding powers, there's no reason why anyone on Majalis, a very advanced warp-capable civilization, would be comfortable living on a doomed planet when you could just pack your stuff and go somewhere else. No, one colony failing doesn't mean living on another planet isn't possible, it just means bad planning. I mean, come on, the Federation creates outer colonies every 2 episodes.

Also, whatever solution dr. M'Benga got for his daughter's illness, is rendered pointless by the fact that 2 episodes later she's saved by that magic space cloud, so this subplot was a complete waste of time.

To be fair, that actually makes the Omelas story relevant as social satire.

"Western civilization is built on a lot of suffering children. Have you considered not living off that exploitation?"

200 years ago perhaps. Hardly a timely moral to have.

[CharlesPhipps]

200 years ago perhaps. Hardly a timely moral to have.

Eh, always a timely moral to have. Just say no to sweatshops.

[Deledrius]

Also, whatever solution dr. M'Benga got for his daughter's illness, is rendered pointless by the fact that 2 episodes later she's saved by that magic space cloud, so this subplot was a complete waste of time.

I think this is still the weirdest thing the show has done. Setting up that character subplot only to just drop it as an afterthought (in such a clunky episode, no less) is still a baffling choice. It had a lot of potential, but none of the build-up mattered. It resolved itself.

[Mabus]

Kind of the Krypton problem, especially in Man of Steel. The moment this species goes from ''Superman's spaceship is a prototype'' to ''more than one planet outside of the solar system'' the show is nonsense.

I think they sort of try to handwave it in the film, something about "Krypton decided to go full eugenics as population control and somehow because of that, abandoned space travel", which is a very weak reason. They should have just teased "some unknown force destroyed all the outer colonies and Krypton decided to go full isolationist to protect themselves", but leave it ambiguous, so it could either be Brainiac of Darkseid.

[Thebestoftherest]

Kind of the Krypton problem, especially in Man of Steel. The moment this species goes from ''Superman's spaceship is a prototype'' to ''more than one planet outside of the solar system'' the show is nonsense.

I think they sort of try to handwave it in the film, something about "Krypton decided to go full eugenics as population control and somehow because of that, abandoned space travel", which is a very weak reason. They should have just teased "some unknown force destroyed all the outer colonies and Krypton decided to go full isolationist to protect themselves", but leave it ambiguous, so it could either be Brainiac of Darkseid.

I mean it is possible that the isolationist attitude and eugenics could be connected to the idea that the krypton ruler powers are unworthy of their position refuses to stand down and ultimately lead to disaster.

[Thebestoftherest]

https://sfdebris.com/videos/startrek/w106.php

Along with the Xeno-Gorn, probably one of the worst things to have come out of SNW.
Ursula Le Guin's original short story is more of a "what if" scenario rather than a proper story, and thus it's not something that can be translated into something more solid without changing the story to some degree. The setting of the original story takes place in a remote location, low tech, where, people have few options besides staying and leaving. But in the Star Trek universe, with thousands if not more habitable planets some even well outside the sphere of influence of expanding powers, there's no reason why anyone on Majalis, a very advanced warp-capable civilization, would be comfortable living on a doomed planet when you could just pack your stuff and go somewhere else. No, one colony failing doesn't mean living on another planet isn't possible, it just means bad planning. I mean, come on, the Federation creates outer colonies every 2 episodes.

Also, whatever solution dr. M'Benga got for his daughter's illness, is rendered pointless by the fact that 2 episodes later she's saved by that magic space cloud, so this subplot was a complete waste of time.

To be fair, that actually makes the Omelas story relevant as social satire.

"Western civilization is built on a lot of suffering children. Have you considered not living off that exploitation?"

200 years ago perhaps. Hardly a timely moral to have.

Tell me Clearspira do you own any Nike shoes?

[Deledrius]

Tell me Clearspira do you own any Nike shoes?

Do people actually buy those? Non-sports people, I mean. I don't think I know anyone with Nike shoes.

I see what you're getting at, but this might be a bad example. It's not a likely "gotcha" for most people.