tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post8385982372180899217..comments2024-03-28T14:49:36.133-04:00Comments on John Kenneth Muir's Reflections on Cult Movies and Classic TV: Star Trek 50th Anniversary Blogging: "The Mark of Gideon" (January 17, 1969)John Kenneth Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-41585954038882184542017-08-11T02:48:30.225-04:002017-08-11T02:48:30.225-04:00Sheri knows her Star Trek!
SteveSheri knows her Star Trek!<br /><br />SteveAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13101722769411384962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-54665842281485547582017-08-09T02:42:59.433-04:002017-08-09T02:42:59.433-04:00John,
I appreciated your reference to the book &q...John,<br /><br />I appreciated your reference to the book "The Population Bomb." Interesting to note that Harry Harrison's "Make Room, Make Room" was published in 1966, so this was definitely a topic which was being discussed when The Mark of Gideon was being formulated.<br /><br />In a recent re-watch, I was somewhat caught off guard by how moving Odona's story was, as well as Sharon Acker's beautiful performance. Another political hot button topic which seemed to be in between the lines somewhere, I thought, was assisted death, or even euthanasia. Perhaps I'm reading too much into the episode.<br /><br />@Kentuck Packrat, I generally agree with your assessment. I'd probably need to watch the show again to give a much more nuanced response. However, it would seem to make sense that the people of Gideon be transported to other worlds by the Federation, to ease the overpopulation burden and allow them to retain their value of life. I don't think this would be a violation of the Prime Directive - in fact, wouldn't it be helping their race to survive? I don't think this solution was even suggested in the episode (correct me if I'm wrong), but it would seem the most humanitarian thing to do.<br /><br />SteveAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13101722769411384962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-65770611314817056412017-08-08T22:38:33.885-04:002017-08-08T22:38:33.885-04:00Wrong, in my opinion. The Prime Directive preclude...Wrong, in my opinion. The Prime Directive precludes interference in the natural, unassisted development of planetary societies. The society has developed quite naturally and Kirk is not interfering in that society or in its development; he's providing, at their society's specific request and in a manner that does no harm to himself or any other planet or people, his pathogens to introduce disease and death--also natural processes. Nothing about this is a violation of the Prime Directive. Indeed, it could be argued that if he were to do nothing, it would continue or extend the very harm the planetary authorities are trying to solve.Sherinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-43480894232916114972017-08-08T16:40:32.048-04:002017-08-08T16:40:32.048-04:00The logical contradictions posed by the unfortunat...The logical contradictions posed by the unfortunate Enterprise replica plot device are what causes this episode to be downrated among fans--and yet everything else about "The Mark of Gideon" is timeless and perpetually relevant in the way of all good science fiction stories. It's just what Star Trek set out to do, and it's most lamentable that a problematic plot device--necessitated by the need for yet another "bottle show" in a surfeit of those during the reduced-budget third season--caused a fine story to be too easily dismissed.<br /><br />The questions raised here can be taken metaphorically as well. No presumed good is a perfect good, as all desirable roses have undesirable thorns. Every doctrine (or policy, or tenet, or principle) contains inconsistencies and contradictions, and most actions can have unforeseen consequences. What interests me about "The Mark of Gideon" is not so much the particulars and specifics of the issues raised here, but rather the ultimate point of view of the episode--that the people of Gideon determine for themselves the best solution according to their ways and needs--and if they are willing to live with the results, so should the Federation, so long as no actual harm is done to Kirk or his crew. <br /><br />This self-determinism aspect of a secular humanist (or on occasion, objectivist) point of view is one hallmark of Star Trek TOS that turns up again and again--sometimes unexpectedly, as when Kirk argues for the right of the Federation/Starfleet and the Klingons to decide and act rather than have the Organians' will imposed on both in "Errand of Mercy". Star Trek in that time was often willing to advocate that the highest value of all may free will, with all the dirty consequences it engenders. I think later Star Trek was often unwilling to go out on a limb and risk such a point of view, and as a consequence it felt much less universal. Sherinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-56735153613557790862017-08-08T13:52:06.820-04:002017-08-08T13:52:06.820-04:00I have a comment about the pro-life part of the st...I have a comment about the pro-life part of the story, but I have a "food for thought" idea that I want to present separately.<br /><br />This is yet another Prime Directive fail. Kirk introduces a deadly disease into a non-warp-capable civilization. His only choices under General Order 1 IMHO are to beam Odona and himself out, and not allow her to go home, or to vaporize her right there. By allowing her to infect the population, Kirk and the Federation are complicit in the action.<br /><br />Opinions?Kentucky Packrathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01444480982718107017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-65013838451440892122017-08-08T10:25:40.009-04:002017-08-08T10:25:40.009-04:00Not to mention that Spock's father, Sarek, is ...Not to mention that Spock's father, Sarek, is also a diplomat.raitonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-4908526590498228442017-08-08T09:15:55.805-04:002017-08-08T09:15:55.805-04:00Seeing the citizens of Gideon all jumbled together...Seeing the citizens of Gideon all jumbled together and trying to move around reminds me of a typical afternoon at either the San Diego or New York ComicCon's. It's pretty much the same experience...Pierre Fontainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09928175455443075350noreply@blogger.com