From: myempire@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Matt J. Martin)
Subject: Re: The Official Dorm-Rec review of "Quality of Life"  (spoilers)
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 03:10:39 GMT

In article <1ebu55INNcei@gap.caltech.edu> thogek@cco.caltech.edu (Thomas G. Kiefer) writes:
>"Quality of Life" spoilers below...


>(Refering to the Mining Doctor)
>So, again with the "serious/stubborn female = bitchy/evil female" stuff
>again?  (If this isn't your attitude, I wish you'd think about that before
>posting this stuff.)
>
>And I don't know how carreer-minded she was, but she was *very* into
>and fascinated by her work, and she wanted to see it advanced and done.
>Sounds like a dedicated (maybe a bit obsessed) scientist to me.
>
>So, she was a very work-oriented scientist, and very stubborn.  Would you
>have called her "bitchy" and "evil" if the same character had been a man?
>(Just a question -- but think about it before you answer.  :)
>

  No, you're right, we would've called him an evil bastard.

  That fact of the matter is that she was a very poorly written character.  She
placed herself in an adversarial role with whomever she happened to be speaking
with.  Her consistenly defensive attitude betrayed a great deal of insecurity
and shallowness.  Is it our fault that the writers made her female?  (Would you
like us to refer to all annoying female characters as evil bastards?  That would
be more politically correct.)

>(Refering to Crusher)
>I was amazed at her having spent time combatting with Worf's.  It took me a
>moment to realize that was what they must have done, 'cause I wouldn't have
>expected *any* of the medical officers particularly interested.
>

  I haven't met too many pacifist physicians, especially in the military.

>Question: were they using Worf's "calisthenics" program?  I've only seen it
>twice, but that's what came to mind (after a confused moment), and it seemed
>to fit the discussion and clothes.  But, if so, how come she got cut?  Or do
>the holodeck safeguards allow such minor injuries?  (Hope it was on
>beginner skill level!)
>

  I don't think they were on the holodeck.  It makes more sense to assume
that they were in the gym (or wherever that place is that Worf teaches his
marial arts classes), and that Worf himself caused the injury.

>
>(refering to the Mining Doctors suggestion to make the exocomps incapable of
>controling their own actions)
>Contradiction if you don't think about it.  She wanted to use the exocomps,
>and they'd been having "problems" with the command pathways, and somebody
>thought that they might be thinking and alive.  So, cut off the command
>pathways!  Even if it's meaningless, it'll shut the bozos up and let her
>use them.
>
  
  The contradiction lies in her suggesting a tactic that would only work if the
exocomps were "alive", and then still insisting that they weren't.  If she did
believe that the tactic would work then she obviously must have accepted the
fact they were alive.  And if that's the case, then she's immoral as well as
annoying.

>
>>  The opinions expressed above are those of the Dorm-Rec alone and are subject
>>to change without notice. 
>
>Make it so.  :)
>-- 
>======================================================
>====> Thomas Kiefer <===> thogek@cco.caltech.edu <====
>======================================================

  Frankly, Mr. Kiefer, I'm not too impressed by your countering our Holier-than-
thou attitude with a holier-than-thou attitude of your own.  Fighting fire
with fire really isn't all that creative.


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