War is an unavoidable stain on human civilization, but if you must die for a cause, at least make sure it is not a stupid one! A series of bizarre events proved almost fatal for two starship crews who refused to see reason. On the surface of an alien planet, Kirk and crew think they … More Ever Burning Hate, TOS: S3E7 “Day of the Dove”
Romulan cloaking technology has been a reoccurring feature of the Star Trek universe ever since it was first described in this episode. Dangerous and unethical, the ability to cloak ships would give the offending party an unfair advantage in war, as well as the ability to carry out espionage without detection. It was up to … More Cloak and Swagger, TOS: S3E2 “The Enterprise Incident”
Exploring the origins of a specific cultural belief often turns into a chicken or egg question. Historians can speculate whether a society adopted a new creed based on the environmental pressures of the time, or if it was a natural progression of their already existing values. The reality is most likely an intricate combination of … More Chicken or Pledge, TOS: S2E23 “The Omega Glory”
With great power comes great…capacity to make things worse. Starfleet wields amazing strength due to its superior weaponry and the governing capability of a united political force. With so much influence, it is not surprising that many powerful organizations find themselves in dilemmas when weaker states look to them for help. Is it immoral to … More Friend of my Enemy, TOS: S2E19 “A Private Little War”
Few people have heard of Stanislav Yevgrafovich Petrov, which is a shame, as we all owe him our lives. A silent and obscure hero, Petrov can claim the honour of single-handedly saving the world from nuclear annihilation, all by humbly opposing authority. In late September 1983, the Soviet Union detected a nuclear missile launch originating … More The Day the Earth Stood Sound, TOS: S2E6 “The Doomsday Machine”
Technology has a tendency to sanitize our experience of the world… and distance us. We celebrate machines taking the grunt of our back-breaking physical labor, or completing a hazardous task in place of a human, but when is it more prudent to have a closer relationship with one’s task? Even the art of war has … More The Cost of War, TOS: S1E23 “A Taste of Armageddon”
Hopeless Trekkie 