It’s impressive how radical DS9 was, and yet no one complained. I don’t know if people just didn’t notice or if it was just better times then. I’m sure if it were made today you’d hear non-stop complaining from a certain segment of society about it being “woke” (which it is, in a good way) and bad. They even justify the use of terrorism as a tool against oppressive regimes!
DS9 is, by far, the best ST has ever been I think. It’s always been progressive, but almost always in a “things will just work out” sort of way. It didn’t actually deal with how we need to act to create the future we want. It just says that the ideal future is inclusive of everyone, which is great but limited. DS9 wasn’t afraid to say there’s almost no method off limits against (figurative) fascist oppressors and, like you mention, really go to town on roasting capitalists and warning us to be afraid of them.
Nationalist War Glamorization (Dominion Federation War)
The entire last two seasons are nothing but glamorizing a traditional “good vs evil” war with the Federation basically serving the role of a nationalist hegemonic superpower.
I like Deep Space Nine, but to act like it’s anything but the degeneration of Star Trek into its most base capitalist apologia spacewar elements is a stretch.
The religion thing I dismiss as just sci-fi magic. Their religion is based on alien stuff. Sure, religions in our world are wrong, but you can’t travel faster than light either so we might as well dismiss the whole show, right?
For example, in Stargate SG1 almost all the civilizations view the gua’uld as gods. When technology is so far beyond your understanding, it’s effectively magic. In that show religion is often said to be wrong, but not for any reason besides the ones they worship are evil. For the Norse people worshiping the “good” aliens it’s fine, and they might as well be gods with their technology.
The people of Bajor interacted with aliens and created a religion to help them understand it. I don’t think that’s apologia. I think that’s a reasonable analogue for what we do too. We don’t understand lighting? It’s God/Thor/Zeus.
One of the best parts of Deep Space Nine is taking the problematic Ferangi and using them to roast he shit out of Humanity for seven seasons.
It’s impressive how radical DS9 was, and yet no one complained. I don’t know if people just didn’t notice or if it was just better times then. I’m sure if it were made today you’d hear non-stop complaining from a certain segment of society about it being “woke” (which it is, in a good way) and bad. They even justify the use of terrorism as a tool against oppressive regimes!
DS9 is, by far, the best ST has ever been I think. It’s always been progressive, but almost always in a “things will just work out” sort of way. It didn’t actually deal with how we need to act to create the future we want. It just says that the ideal future is inclusive of everyone, which is great but limited. DS9 wasn’t afraid to say there’s almost no method off limits against (figurative) fascist oppressors and, like you mention, really go to town on roasting capitalists and warning us to be afraid of them.
DS9 has
Religion Apologia (Bajoran Prophets)
War Crimes Apologia (Siskos multiple war crimes)
CIA Apologia (Glamorization of Section 31)
Nationalist War Glamorization (Dominion Federation War)
The entire last two seasons are nothing but glamorizing a traditional “good vs evil” war with the Federation basically serving the role of a nationalist hegemonic superpower.
I like Deep Space Nine, but to act like it’s anything but the degeneration of Star Trek into its most base capitalist apologia spacewar elements is a stretch.
The religion thing I dismiss as just sci-fi magic. Their religion is based on alien stuff. Sure, religions in our world are wrong, but you can’t travel faster than light either so we might as well dismiss the whole show, right?
For example, in Stargate SG1 almost all the civilizations view the gua’uld as gods. When technology is so far beyond your understanding, it’s effectively magic. In that show religion is often said to be wrong, but not for any reason besides the ones they worship are evil. For the Norse people worshiping the “good” aliens it’s fine, and they might as well be gods with their technology.
The people of Bajor interacted with aliens and created a religion to help them understand it. I don’t think that’s apologia. I think that’s a reasonable analogue for what we do too. We don’t understand lighting? It’s God/Thor/Zeus.