DS9 - Hard Time

[cdrood]

The thing about this level of mental manipulation is that they don't really address the ramifications of this sort of technology. You could completely change someone's perception of reality. How large of a scale can this be applied at? We had that one TNG episode where their memories were wiped to get them to fight someone else's war. What if they'd had the ability to implant new memories, as well?

It could literally turn people into characters in someone else's live action book. Kind of like that show with Elisha Dushku

[Wolf359]

Having not watched the episode in question and viewing the review, two questions.
a) Couldn't they get a telepath to put in memory blocks or such? The idea probably came from watching too much Babylon 5, but a vulcan would surely know a few tricks?

Trek has always had a weird (badly thought out?) approach to telepaths. Women like Troi and Lwaxana can read you when they like and how deeply they like without obstacle, prevention, and seemingly without any worry from the law. It has also been stated that no telepathic defences exist short of burning out someone's brain. And yet when it comes to them being used for anything practical or useful such as with O'Brien, it always seems to be limited to the odd mind meld or Troi ''shaking like a puppy and crying'' moment as she reads you.

I am not going to sit here and say that I am on the side of Bester and the Psi Corps - but there is a middle ground. Credit card numbers, top secret information, nuclear launch codes, damning secrets that would ruin you if they got out. Lwaxana should not be able to just steal these things from your brain whenever she likes without penalty.

Can Lwaxana do that? I always got the impression that she could only read what a person was currently thinking, not dig through their memories. I maybe wrong, and haven’t watched her episodes in a while, but that’s what I assumed. But yeh, I certainly wouldn’t want to serve on a ship or be anywhere near someone who could do that sort of thing, especially someone as indiscreet as Lwaxana.

[Thebestoftherest]

In the episode where she flirted with a hologram she was able to discover the bad guys plans soon enough.

[Deledrius]

That would be all handled by the Federation Diplomatic corps, outwith the scope of DS9's remit though. And outside the remit of the story.

I've thought this could be an interesting premise for a Trek show that isn't the same old style. I know the West Wing and others like it were popular for a time. There's an audience for it, I bet.

I'd watch it. Although I'm not sure I'd trust the current showrunners to make it and not be more Whitehouse Down than the West Wing right now.

Agreed. This is not the time for it; the temptation to do it poorly is apparently irresistible.

[bronnt]

In the episode where she flirted with a hologram she was able to discover the bad guys plans soon enough.

I think they just arrested those guys based almost solely on her word, though. Which is a bit troubling when you consider all the ways in which a telepath could screw with people.

[Nightbeat74]

Having not watched the episode in question and viewing the review, two questions.
a) Couldn't they get a telepath to put in memory blocks or such? The idea probably came from watching too much Babylon 5, but a vulcan would surely know a few tricks?

Trek has always had a weird (badly thought out?) approach to telepaths. Women like Troi and Lwaxana can read you when they like and how deeply they like without obstacle, prevention, and seemingly without any worry from the law. It has also been stated that no telepathic defences exist short of burning out someone's brain. And yet when it comes to them being used for anything practical or useful such as with O'Brien, it always seems to be limited to the odd mind meld or Troi ''shaking like a puppy and crying'' moment as she reads you.

I am not going to sit here and say that I am on the side of Bester and the Psi Corps - but there is a middle ground. Credit card numbers, top secret information, nuclear launch codes, damning secrets that would ruin you if they got out. Lwaxana should not be able to just steal these things from your brain whenever she likes without penalty.

Can Lwaxana do that? I always got the impression that she could only read what a person was currently thinking, not dig through their memories. I maybe wrong, and haven’t watched her episodes in a while, but that’s what I assumed. But yeh, I certainly wouldn’t want to serve on a ship or be anywhere near someone who could do that sort of thing, especially someone as indiscreet as Lwaxana.

on a side note would it still be mind rape if a "teep" goes in to someones mind who is haveing bad nightmare/flashback/hallucination and "pulls"them out into a happy dream or awake/reality?just to calm them down.

[clearspira]

In the episode where she flirted with a hologram she was able to discover the bad guys plans soon enough.

I think they just arrested those guys based almost solely on her word, though. Which is a bit troubling when you consider all the ways in which a telepath could screw with people.

That is another great reason why a softer version of the Psi Corp is needed. We have here an ambassador claiming that another ambassador is a terrorist and being instantly believed because... she's the mother of the ship's counsellor? Telepaths cannot be lying? That is ripe for abuse.

[Enterprising]

In the episode where she flirted with a hologram she was able to discover the bad guys plans soon enough.

I think they just arrested those guys based almost solely on her word, though. Which is a bit troubling when you consider all the ways in which a telepath could screw with people.

She explained how to scan for their explosives, which were designed to evade normal scans. Once adjusted, they could see this was the case, and therefore gave the needed evidence to arrest them. It wasn't "on her word" to arrest them, but rather to scan for the hidden bombs.

[CrypticMirror]

In the episode where she flirted with a hologram she was able to discover the bad guys plans soon enough.

I think they just arrested those guys based almost solely on her word, though. Which is a bit troubling when you consider all the ways in which a telepath could screw with people.

She explained how to scan for their explosives, which were designed to evade normal scans. Once adjusted, they could see this was the case, and therefore gave the needed evidence to arrest them. It wasn't "on her word" to arrest them, but rather to scan for the hidden bombs.

Good job the Federation appears to have abolished lawyers (/joke mode) because that just screams fruit of the poisonous tree, that does. Then again, they are ambassadors so sending them home with a sharp note to their government is pretty much all they could do anyway.

[Fianna]

The Federation seems to view telepathy as just another sense: picking up someone's secret thoughts with Betazoid telepathy is no different than overhearing someone having a private conversation because you have very good ears.