A counter to Chuck's confusion

[Yukaphile]

He was confused in "Time's Arrow" as to how Twain could have just so easily accepted they came from the future? Well, here's a theory I have. It might be that, well... Data looks inhuman, with his pale skin and yellow eyes. Twain probably thought he was a future alien, and hence a bit of racism came into that. This is, as Chuck himself noted, a guy who put the use of 200 N-words into his books.

[Artabax]

Twain wrote Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur's Court. Twain was perfectly familiar with Time Travel as a fictional trope.

Prime Directive defines that if anyone writes a story about X, then they believe in X and automatically believe anybody who claims to be X. For example, Christians believe that one man rose from the dead, which proves that Christians will automatically believe anybody else who claims to be resurrected. Sarcasm mode OFF

[Deledrius]

Twain wrote Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur's Court. Twain was perfectly familiar with Time Travel as a fictional trope.

Prime Directive defines that if anyone writes a story about X, then they believe in X and automatically believe anybody who claims to be X. For example, Christians believe that one man rose from the dead, which proves that Christians will automatically believe anybody else who claims to be resurrected. Sarcasm mode OFF

That explains the prevalence of zombie films in Christian media!

[RobbyB1982]

Twain wrote Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur's Court. Twain was perfectly familiar with Time Travel as a fictional trope.

Prime Directive defines that if anyone writes a story about X, then they believe in X and automatically believe anybody who claims to be X. For example, Christians believe that one man rose from the dead, which proves that Christians will automatically believe anybody else who claims to be resurrected. Sarcasm mode OFF

Hey, that was a plot point in Back to the Future 3 involving Clara and her reading Jules Verne.

[CharlesPhipps]

He was confused in "Time's Arrow" as to how Twain could have just so easily accepted they came from the future? Well, here's a theory I have. It might be that, well... Data looks inhuman, with his pale skin and yellow eyes. Twain probably thought he was a future alien, and hence a bit of racism came into that. This is, as Chuck himself noted, a guy who put the use of 200 N-words into his books.

Mind you, he's also a Southerner who wrote a book about how slavery was evil in a time that could get you killed.

What I refuse to believe is that Twain wouldn't be tearing the Federation down at every chance he could get because he was one of the world's most notorious cynics.

[Zoinksberg]

What I refuse to believe is that Twain wouldn't be tearing the Federation down at every chance he could get because he was one of the word's most notorious cynics.

You know, now that you mention it, I would watch an entire season of Star Trek that was just Mark Twain arguing with the TNG era crews about why their philosophies and ideals are flawed and in the end self-serving.

Hey CBS, we know you're throwing everything at the wall to see if it will stick. Here's a freebie for you.

[Admiral X]

I agree that would probably have been more his style, but the way the writers and the rules they had to follow were back then, I doubt they'd have wanted any self-examination, so they just farted that opportunity away. They had to wait until DS9 was being made and Berman loosened his grip enough for them to look at the Federation as being anything other than a perfect utopia.

[Deledrius]

They had to wait until DS9 was being made and Berman loosened his grip enough for them to look at the Federation as being anything other than a perfect utopia.

And now it seems we've flipped hard in the other direction, with a big ol' muddy mess paying occasional lip-service to utopic ideals not supported by the show. Oh well.

Maybe Twain can show up again and give us his snark this time around.