From: vendwrt@iddsupp5.austin.ibm.com (Vendor Writer Guest Login)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.current
Subject: Re: "The First Duty" **SPOILERS**
Date: 7 Apr 92 14:33:56 GMT
Reply-To: vendwrt@iddsupp5.austin.ibm.com (Vendor Writer Guest Login)
Distribution: usa
Organization: IBM Austin, TX

Yes, I too am tired of all the Wesley Crusher bashing. Big deal if he is
highly intelligent. It is just a reflection of our society whereby
people cannot accept others on their merits or abilities. That they are
judged purely by an unknowen. Or, they are judged by those whom are
envious, and cannot achive, or do, or have the education to attempt "X".

> Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.current
> Path: awdprime.austin.ibm.com!auschs!panews!uunet!uunet!indetech!janet
> From: janet@indetech.com (Janet Christian)
> Subject: Re: "The First Duty" **SPOILERS**
> Message-ID: <1992Apr3.002548.20098@indetech.com>
> Organization: Independence Technologies, Inc. Fremont, CA
> References: <955@netxcom.netx.com>
<1992Apr1.133418.7587@umbc3.umbc.edu> <1992Apr1.140252.20399@acsu.buffalo.edu>
> Distribution: usa
> Date: Fri, 3 Apr 1992 00:25:48 GMT
> 
> >
> >
> >     Seems to me no matter what happened many of you would have said
> >     Wesley came out looking like a geek.  If he had thought up some
> >     wonderful way to get everyone involved off the hook, someone 
> >     would have bitched that "he's always got the answers, why can't
> >     he ever be wrong?"  
> >
> >     Well - Wes fucked up.  It happens.  I've done it.  You've done it.
> >     He tried to fix it the best way he knew how and did so.  
> >
> >     Could somebody please tell me why people are compelled to beat
> >     this character to death (and worst of all, the actor who plays
> >     him) when there are so many more productive things we can do
> >     with our time?
> >
> >     He's not even a regular anymore and there are still bash-Wesley
> >     and even bash-Wil threads going on -- I vote we give both character
> >     and (more importantly) actor mercy for a while.  Seconds?
> 
> I'll second that. I found the episode pretty realistic. I mean, think about
> peer pressure, the need to "fit in", the desire to "show off" that we
> all remember from our younger days :-). On the Enterprise, Wesley was the
> only kid on the bridge - of course it would have gone to his head some.
> At the Academy, he got a healthy dose of "reality", and it caused him to
> work hard to fit in, be accepted, be liked, etc. As far as pulling off
> the stunt goes, it is pretty normal that they didn't think of all the
> consequences. It would, after all, have proven that they were "crack pilots" 
> - albeit a bit daredevilish. 
>  
> I'm not sure how I feel about the fact that their plan got a student
> killed. Accidents happen, and he did still agree to give it a try. I guess
> the one year loss they each received was sort of like one year probation
> in lieu of something more harsh, like prison or expulson. Remember, too,
> that their leader (I forget his name) fought hard for the rest of them
> by claiming that he pushed them relentlessly.
> 
> I do have a question. Why were the maneuvers all the way out at Saturn? 
> Why not closer to Earth? Were the small ships out there already or were  
> they "sent" (e.g., via a starship or transport ship). I don't see how they 
> were flown that distance, since it unlikely they fly at warp speeds (I
think). 
>  
> I still liked the episode and feel that it ended well - you know, life  
> isn't all a bed of roses and such... 
>  
> Janet 
> -- 
>    Janet Christian             jchristian@indetech.com
> 
> My boss agrees with everything I say - well, actually, he thinks I'm
working.  
> "Never argue with a Scorpio - it's frustrating and you'll lose, anyway..."
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.current