VOY - Gravity

[Fianna]

TOS frequently highlighted the failings of human beings, sometimes directly via the Enterprise crew, sometimes via civilizations that were technically alien, but were so indistinguishable from human beings, we're meant to view them as the same thing. And it was invariably Spock who sat above those failings, and was able to wryly comment on them.

Just as an example, in "Space Seed", Spock was the only crewmember who wasn't at least a little taken in by Khan's charisma.

[stryke]

If it was that it would be sneering at the scientists for being scientists, it would be attacking anyone wanting to explore and study and learn, and it's not doing that

I can think of a couple times they did exactly that.

Insurrection for TNG, the ending to Paradise in DS9 where the luddite villain gets to win despite being punished herself, and the ending to that episode of that s7 episode of Voyager where Janeway says the cost of exploration is too high if anyone gets hurt.

I can forgive the last one if it's a reflection of just how mentally wounded she has been by her decisions up to that point but it's really not something a Starfleet captain should be saying in other circumstances.

[Frustration]

There really aren't any large-scale endeavors that don't at least run a risk of people getting hurt. There are things worth risking one's life for - else the Federation turns into the Brunnen G, hiding in their homes and maximizing the amount of life they're not actually living.

[Riedquat]

If it was that it would be sneering at the scientists for being scientists, it would be attacking anyone wanting to explore and study and learn, and it's not doing that

I can think of a couple times they did exactly that.

Insurrection for TNG, the ending to Paradise in DS9 where the luddite villain gets to win despite being punished herself, and the ending to that episode of that s7 episode of Voyager where Janeway says the cost of exploration is too high if anyone gets hurt.

I can forgive the last one if it's a reflection of just how mentally wounded she has been by her decisions up to that point but it's really not something a Starfleet captain should be saying in other circumstances.

I don't see how they're examples of anti-intellectualism though. Examples of the writers demonstrating their anti-high-tech views (in a rather cack-handed, clueless, naive manner), and it's a position I can sympathise with (I find the sneering against anyone not thinking as high tech a life as possible is the only thing worth having some of the low points of Chuck's reviews), but those aren't anti-intellectual positions.

[Frustration]

Perhaps it's not anti-intellectualism as such, but hostility to the idea that we can make a better future or make progress, however that is defined.

Old-school Trek was notoriously optimistic about the potential of the future, recent Trek has become increasingly pessimistic.

[clearspira]

Perhaps it's not anti-intellectualism as such, but hostility to the idea that we can make a better future or make progress, however that is defined.

Old-school Trek was notoriously optimistic about the potential of the future, recent Trek has become increasingly pessimistic.

We need old school Trek today more than ever.

I will give ''Strange New Worlds'' one bit of credit: its closer to being Star Trek than STD or ''Star Trek: Old Man Takes a Shit and Talks About His Abusive Childhood.''

[Deledrius]

There have been a few throw-away lines in Discovery that were plainly anti-intellectual, but they seemed less like thematic intent and more like the writers just parroting mainstream misconceptions due to their own ignorance and anti-intellectual leanings.

I think there's inherently a bit of a push-and-pull going on in a franchise centered largely around intelligent, competent characters being made as entertainment, especially when it attempts to widen its appeal. A mainstream audience doesn't find that inspiring, they find it intimidating or condescending (and the arrogance in the franchise when it swings too hard the wrong way, such as TNG S1, doesn't help). Being approachable is a hard sweet spot to get to and stay in. I think DS9 tended to succeed more often than not, but it had its own mis-steps too. Voyager tried to wear science as a fashion accessory, and Discovery has taken on that same strategy.

[Frustration]

A mainstream audience doesn't find that inspiring, they find it intimidating or condescending

There's the problem right there: the mainstream masses are idiots. Before recent incarnations, Star Trek had niche appeal to nerds but the masses weren't particularly interested. In trying to draw in the average person, they've had to gut everything nerds liked about the show.

[clearspira]

A mainstream audience doesn't find that inspiring, they find it intimidating or condescending

There's the problem right there: the mainstream masses are idiots. Before recent incarnations, Star Trek had niche appeal to nerds but the masses weren't particularly interested. In trying to draw in the average person, they've had to gut everything nerds liked about the show.

Star Trek 2009 set the tone. In retrospect, it was more Star Trek than STD and Picard.

But yeah, I agree. Look at the shite that Gen Z consumes on Tik Tok. This generation can be entertained by continuous ten second clips of teenagers dancing. It's no surprise to me that such people would find intellectualism frightening.

[Frustration]

Ever see the movie Idiocracy? It seems less like satire each day.

Instead of references to actual physics discoveries, as was the case with TOS, modern Trek has people blathering nonsense and then talking about how much they love math. Which only people who don't understand either math, or basic reasoning, would find at all inoffensive.