Star Trek Universe, a Brief(ish) User Guide

[templemarker]

This is a brief introduction to Star Trek, primarily as a relevant guide for writers new to the vast breadth of and wealth of canon, fanon, books, comics, movies, cartoons, and stuff out there in the universe of Star Trek. It is also what devoured my Tuesday evening like a three year old with a cookie. Three things before we get into it

Comments

[skywaterblue]

Thanks for the hat-tip. I have points of slight contention.

1. I think those articles about Federation economics are totally wrong-headed. One, because the Volokh Conspiracy is a right wing economics blog, so of course they don't like socialism in any form, and two - he clearly is picking and choosing canon, because at the end of the first article (which he spun off into the second article at National Review, and there's your second big warning about his economic stance) he says 'don't comment with all your canon pickings'.

Of course, the comments are a pretty good summary of what's really going on in the Federation - I just wish there was a better article attached.

2. Cardassians as a threat:

The Federation fought a BIG border war with these guys prior to the start of TNG - O'Brien basically enlisted to fight them, and the Marquis were formed because in the peace treaty, the Cardassian-Federation border changed so that the Federation gave up some colonized planets. In fact, almost every officer we meet in TNG and DS9 can be expected to have served in this unless they're under a certain age.

So I would not really classify them as non-threatening to the Federation. (I'm pulling for Cardassian badguys for the next movie, actually.)

[templemarker]

1. I agree that they're wrong-headed, and I linked to them mostly because I found them to be pretty thought-provoking. The comments in particular are what drew me in; Somin's own intractability with regards to people providing canon examples counter to his own thesis pretty much undercuts what points he makes. What I do think those articles do, however, is make people think about the socio-cultural impact of a non-capitalist society, which is essential to understanding Star Trek (IMO). So, you know, I think they're worthwhile for the counter-argument.

2. You're right! I had forgotten about that, though I shouldn't have. Good point.