From: myempire@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Matt J. Martin)
Subject: Re: "Rascals" Really Really Sucked!!! (spoilers ahead)
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1992 17:45:56 GMT

In article <1d98krINNmlf@gap.caltech.edu> thogek@cco.caltech.edu (Thomas G. Kiefer) writes:
>"Rascals" spoilers below:
>
>
>From myempire@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Matt J. Martin):
>>  3.  Are all Ferengi comeplete stupid, gullible, and unreasonably
>>avaricious?  Are the writers intentionally racist or did the attitude just
>>sort of crop up after Rodenberry kicked off...
>
>I recall from the first episode featuring Ferengi (title, anyone?) that they
>were some ways back on the evolutionary path (Riker saying something about
>humans having once been that way).  They seem to have mentally evolved quite
>suddenly right after that episode, but, yes, the Ferengi are supposed to be
>lower-intelligence and quite greedy, unwilling to wait for evolution to give
>them the brains to deal with the technology around them -- a bit in that
>sense like the Pakleds, I guess, though not AS stupid, and possibly greedier.
>
  I'm not at all comfortable with the idea of the ST writers simply creating
a sentient species that can be viewed as consistently inferior.  Sure they
may be trying to make a point about immaturity of humanity, but they 
betray their own prediliction toward racism in the process.
 
  I'd like to see an intellegent, socialist Ferengi activist who tries to
reform the Ferengi society.  

>Oh, and the Ferengi probably do NOT have the tech to beat the Enterprise.
>Did you LOOK at the ships the Ferengi had?  Or LISTEN to Worf when he first
>announced those ships' presence?  Two KLINGON Birds of Prey.  Most likely
>stolen, like much of the Ferengi's technology probably is.
>
  It has been demonstrated before that the Ferengi do, in fact, have the
technology to give Picard a run for his money.  The first instance was the
episode where they first meet the Ferengi.  The Ferengi Captain manages to
convince Picard that he is reliving the attack on the Stargazer.
  Another instance is the episode where Riker and Picard are engaging in
war games and the Ferengi manage to cripple to Enterprise in a matter of
seconds.  Clearly they have the technology.

  To me it seems inconsistent that the Feregi could have a very sophisticated
and reliable technological development (all their ships look the same) and
still be so revoltingly stupid.  And the writers seem not to care for
differentiating social stupidity from technical stupidity.  Not only are the
greedy and obnoxious, but they can't even realize it when Rikers bullshits
them about the computer.  Their Captian was couldn't figure out the fishtank
for God's sake!!  I'm not at all impressed with the writers of ST when they
dabble in this kind of social irresponsibility.  They have completely 
disregarded everything that makes ST unique in the world of commercial 
entertainment.  For shame!!

  By the way, two Birds of Prey (each with a crew of 12), I don't care
how surprising they were, should be no match for the Big E.  Worf should've
had no problem training two simulteaneous continuous phaser shots on them
till their shields were overloaded.  Not a very impressive showing.


  ##########################################################################   
  ##   /   ##               Progress Before Peace!               ##   /   ## 
  ##  //   ## Matt J. Martin, Technosociology and Space Politics ##  //   ## 
  ## ///// ######################################################## ///// ##
  ##   //  ##        Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN       ##   //  ##
  ##   /   ##           myempire@mentor.cc.purdue.edu            ##   /   ##
  ##########################################################################