https://fxtwitter.com/Oetscherbaer/status/1813242561365987659
The Star Trek universe is not communist, although it is often misunderstood as such. Here are some arguments against it:
Private property exists: Characters in Star Trek own personal items like clothes, PADDs (Personal Access Display Devices), and other belongings. This contradicts the communist ideal of common ownership of the means of production.
Currency exists: Although the Federation claims to be a post-scarcity society, there is evidence of some form of currency, such as "credits" or "gold-pressed latinum," which are used for trade with other civilizations.
Social hierarchies exist: In Star Trek, there are clear social hierarchies, such as ranks in Starfleet, different positions in government, and various social classes. This contradicts the communist idea of a classless society.
Individual freedom is valued: Characters in Star Trek have the freedom to make their own choices, pursue their own careers, and hold their own beliefs. This contrasts with the communist idea of collectivism, where the individual is subordinate to the good of the community.
Replicators do not create abundance: Although replicators can produce many goods, they cannot replicate everything, such as latinum or complex technologies. This means that there is still scarcity, and resources are not unlimited.
Competition and rivalry exist: In Star Trek, there is evidence of competition and rivalry, for example in scientific discoveries, sporting events, or political debates. This contradicts the communist idea of cooperation and shared progress.
The Federation is a democratic republic: The Federation is depicted as a democratic republic, where citizens elect their representatives and participate in political decision-making. This is fundamentally different from communist systems, which are often one-party states with limited political freedom.
Although Star Trek presents an idealized vision of the future where many social problems have been solved, it is important to emphasize that it is not a communist society. There are many elements in Star Trek that contradict the basic principles of communism.
Captain Fredrick Marx of the U.S.S. John Brown: [looks directly at camera] The Federation does not use money. We no longer strive to collect material things. The necessities of life, including education and access to information, are freely and universally available. We have eliminated poverty, hunger and curable diseases. Hierarchies, such as the chain-of-command on starships, are rare and only used when necessary; civilian life is highly meritocratic. Federation society is not perfect, but it is an improvement on what came before.
Isn't that an almost verbatim quote? I swear either Picard or Sisko said something along those lines either to a time traveler from the past or while they were timetraveling to the past themselves.
Picard expresses this sentiment to a business guy who was frozen for hundreds of years in the season one episode The Neutral Zone. Business guy is worried about his company and his investments, and becomes depressed when he learns that he can go anywhere in the universe and do anything he wants, but nobody cares about his money anymore.
Isn't that the Voyager episode "the 37's?"Nah, I'm the one that's wrong here The Neutral Zone is correct.
Thats what I was thinking about, thank you!
Picard talking to 20th Century Capitalism Man in "The Neutral Zone"; Picard talking to Lily in the movie "First Contact"; Troi talking to Mark Twain in "Time's Arrow"; Kirk in 1980s San Francisco saying "They're still using money," in "The Voyage Home" -- plus a whole lot more. So yeah, you're absolutely correct.
i was thinking bout the porkie from the neutral zone, thank you
tng The Neutral Zone is where a lot of that comes from, although you may be thinking of Lily asking Picard how much the ship costs in the movie
Yeah it was "The Neutral Zone"!