This is what I never understood. The principle of respecting the autonomy of other cultures is good imo, but what “cultural contamination” could be worse than the total extinction of the civilization you’re trying to protect?
Applying the Prime Directive in such extreme circumstances turns it from an anti-imperialist ideal to a Social Darwinist one.
the whole point of having captains out in the black, is for them to make a judgement call on when the rules should be ignored.
Picard had a conversation with Data about this very thing, when Data went with his ‘gut’ to disobey a order.
I mostly chalk that kind of thing up to writers not having any idea what the Prime Directive actually is.
You never, ever, ever violate the prime directive, unless you really want to.
“Never violate the prime directive unless it’s the temporal prime directive.” - Cathrine Janeway
Or if you’re Janeway.
The trolley problem is bullshit because in the real world when you’re presented with a lose-lose situation, the correct response is to look for a third option.
aka The Motherfucking Kirk Maneuver.
And lo did he raise his leg unto the heavens. And thus he did swingeth it over the back of the chair as we must swing our souls over the depths of hell to find a seat at the right hand of Riker. Engage.
… hits their knee on the chair and is condemned to eternal hell
The Prime Directive is some Lib Shit
