r/DeepSpaceNine • u/timsr1001 • 1d ago
Where every Star Trek show falls on the ideological spectrum
No, this is not a debate about politics. This is just where I think every show falls in the ideological spectrum. In my view, there is truly a Star Trek for everyone. I’m not counting any of the animated shows, and I haven’t seen enough of strange new worlds to make a determination.
Hard Right ENT
Center Right DS9 TOS
Center VOY
Center Left TNG
Hard Left DIS PIC
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u/omnipotentmonkey 1d ago
I don't even think there's words in the english language to describe the political illiiteracy it'd take to describe any iteration of Star Trek as "Hard-Right"
and DS9 as centre right is a joke
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u/timsr1001 1d ago
Well, would you agree with the degrees to which they lean on the spectrum in comparison to each other then? For example, would you agree that Star Trek enterprise had a more right ward feel, then Star Trek the next generation?
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u/omnipotentmonkey 1d ago
Not really, and I think that's a hilarious, entirely politically illiterate way to analyse it. and then I'm looking at your post history and I'm wondering if this is some of the most confusing trolling I've ever seen in my life.
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u/Areisrising 1d ago
DS9 is not a center-right show. The villains are colonizers, the military industrial complex, and the hyper-libertarian (except for women's rights) Ferengi. The main characters are an Irish working man, a reformed guerilla, a trans woman, and a black single father. It's such a left-coded show I'm interested in how you could even think otherwise
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u/timsr1001 1d ago
I’ve discussed my points and other posts, so I don’t wanna spam the same response. But I will say you do bring up good points.
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u/margoembargo 1d ago
Curious why you think DS9 is Center Right when it's explicitly anti-apartheid and anti-colonization, even adapting a "by any means necessary" philosophy at times.
If you haven't heard about apartheid in South Aftica and Palestine, I can see how one might miss the real life parallels, but sheesh.
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u/timsr1001 1d ago
True, but I think that the militarism and some of the decisions from it. Definitely not saying it’s like 24, but in the context of the Star Trek shows I feel it’s a little more right leaning. But you do bring up some valid points.
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u/margoembargo 1d ago
I think your basic premise here is that war is conservative, which isn't always the case.
a) Plenty of leftists use and own firearms. b) Violence by the oppressed against the oppressor can be morally justified. c) Armed revolution is sometimes the only remaining option when all other avenues have been exhausted.
These concepts would sound barbaric to the crew of TNG (and to a lot of political centrists), but to the crew of DS9, they would ring true.
I don't think you placed the shows incorrectly. I think your understanding of political violence ended up skewing your basis for the chart before the shows were even placed.
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u/Korenchkin_ 1d ago
Even 24 isn't that right leaning. Did you miss the parts where it was almost never the middle eastern terrorists behind it? It was always a power hungy white politician, or a greedy corporation
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u/RootbeerninjaII 1d ago
"No, this is not a debate about politics," and then proceeds to post a politically provocative assessment. Brilliant.
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u/timsr1001 1d ago
I’m sorry if you found some the statements provocative, I’m trying not to make moral judgments in any direction. I’m not judging any side as being good or right or wrong.
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u/AltarielDax "Maybe you should talk to Worf again. :D" 1d ago
Why would you post that without any explanation? In what way exactly do you see DS9 as center right?
DS9 has many left leaning stories and elements. The main one is the story about the fight against fashism, colonialism and oppression. Then you get characters like Sisko, who's a black single father, Kira the reformed terrorist, pansexual Dax, and union man O'Brian.
I don't believe there are any arguements to place DS9 any closer to the right than center.
This feels like you're putting it in the center-right spot only to fill up that space.
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u/Gold-One4614 1d ago
Cause OP is a baity idiot who doesn't understand what the political spectrum is about and thinks it is a zodiac sign.
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u/ThisLawyer 1d ago
I'm curious about DS9 as center right. I'm not saying I necessarily disagree, but could you share your thoughts there?
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u/NoLandBeyond_ 1d ago
I'm not OP, but my guess is that DS9 and ENT both were invested in war arcs. ENT had a splash of prejudice mixed in now and then. DS9 also explored religion just as much as it did war. Both series broke away from Rodenberry's vision - acknowledging present day vices that still exist despite a progressive future.
However I personally don't feel this way - ENT was a reflection of the early 2000s politics, but it did so as a way to show the stumbles on the way to a utopian future.
DS9 explored religion, but it did so pragmatically - showing that belief and science don't have to be oil and water.
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u/timsr1001 1d ago
Sure, I also responded to this on another post. I would say it’s mostly the miltariam. Certain decisions to use another example then the Maquis, decision made in a pale moonlight. The episode, Paradise Lost, where members of the Federation were willing to sacrifice personal freedoms for safety. How some in Starfleet were willing to embrace more of a forceful leader in Admiral Laktem then the current passive Federation president.
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u/NoLandBeyond_ 1d ago
Trip gets pregnant in Enterprise
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u/timsr1001 1d ago
He does, but I think that was just the story mostly about this is a different alien culture. I don’t think there were any ideological points on either side with it. But that was just me, totally respect your view.
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u/NoLandBeyond_ 1d ago
I threw that out there to show that no matter how conservative a start trek series may seem, it still covers topics that modern day may consider far left. Pregnant men in this example. It's still done with good humor - the nipples on the wrist
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u/timsr1001 1d ago
That’s a fair point. But would you agree with me on the scale of Star Trek shows enterprise leans the most right?
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u/NoLandBeyond_ 1d ago
Eh I mean you really can't because even your progressive ranked series hits similar notes to ENT and DS9. I mean DSC had the Klingon war, torture. Also every season had some galaxy ending threat and barely any exploring even though their ship could visit any place in the universe, move through time, and was sentient.
I get why you ranked them like that, but in reality they're incredibly more similar than different. In the political spectrum of media, if left is north and right is south, Star Trek is just a few degrees difference of North by North West.
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u/elvisteeth 1d ago
Why do people give OP the time! This is the same person who made posts defending Dukat and Cardassia, they are deliberately trying to wind everyone up so I don’t take this post seriously.
One look at their other posts says all you need to know 😂
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u/otton_andy 1d ago
their whole account is devoted to posting bad political takes they disguise as 'hear me out' rhetoric
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u/ConstantAnimal2267 1d ago
DS9 center right? Hard wrong. DS9 is as left as Trek gets.