Joe Momma wrote:skies wrote:Actually, you hit the nail on the head with regards to TNG sense of moral superiority. Trekkies think that the Feds will always win because every battle in Star Trek is eventually framed as a moral dilemma at some point. Ans since they think the feds are morally superior to everyone, they always win because they always make the 'right' choice. Trekkies therefore NEED the Feds to win because their so emotionally invested in their image of the federation as a morally superior utopia. If the Feds lost, then that would invalidate their utopian fantasy.
The amazing cognitive dissonance there (as others have already pointed out) is that these same people are obsessively defending a utopian ideal that they themselves don't seem to believe in, judging on their stated positions on RL issues. Dorkstar's been excoriated on this site as a classic example of that.
Hell, that's a problem inherent to their very position in the arguments. The underlying implication of these increasingly ridiculous arguments is that the pro-Trek side has an emotional need to see the UFP as being militarily dominant in all things, so much so that they've tied their own egos into asserting such an outcome regardless of logic or evidence.
Yet the various series themselves have often depicted the UFP (and Starfleet in particular) as being opposed to militarism to the point of seriously endangering their existence as a sovereign entity (as shown by their grievously inept preparation and maintenance of armed forces) and in frequently denying to some degree that Starfleet even constitutes a military force. To put it simply, they are advocating a position for their beloved franchise that would probably appall many of the same "heroes" they worship. Their arguments are so batshit insane because the very foundation is nothing but stacked guano. You can't reason someone out of a position they didn't reason themselves into, but you can have fun mocking their stupid asses.
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It's funny how star fleet denies being a military force. They have a military command structure (with a rigidly enforced hierarchy), military uniforms, and militarized vessels. Hell, even the so called science core have a uniform (a sort of gray jumpsuit with a silver bar across the chest).
I don't recall real world exploration and shipping vessels having weapons, except in times of war or in dangerous areas; even then, they had just light armament for basic defense and relied on fully armed naval escorts. Basically, you never arm a vessel unless you plan to use them, ether in battle or as a projection of force (i.e. gun boat diplomacy, patrol duty, or defensive escort).The only times armed vessels were used for exploration by nation states was when a navel vessel was tasked with a special exploratory mission One such example is when James Cook explored the coast of Australia, and even there he was a naval captain using the Endeavour, which was a merchant ship.
The only thing non-military about starfleet seems to be their strategic and tactical (lack) of ability. Hell, it took a a Vorg invasion, the return of the Romulans and the threat of a second war with the Cardasians and an invasion by the Dominion to get them to build dedicated warships like the Reliant class. And even then, they were still using general ships like the Galaxy class for Battle.
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