It’s just that humans get to have all kinds of personalities while other races are for the most part depicted as being exactly what the cliche of their races would be if they truly existed.
Perhaps the most egregious example would be the Klingons. Worf talks of Klingons in an idealized sense, code of honor and all that. But apart from him and Martok, most of the Klingons we see are stupid and belligerent, and just as conniving as any Romulan. If you assume that the totality of them as a people are what we see of them there’s simply no way they would ever have adopted the scientific method let alone made it into space. Somewhere out there there would have to be klingon scientists, lawyers, janitors, engineers, doctors, artists, etc. All we hear about is warriors but they alone do not make a civilization.
I always figured Worf had an idealized view of Klingon honor, given it was a culture he cherished but wasn’t actually raised in. Dax also calls him out on his atypical behavior - “Klingons do not laugh.” “No, you don’t laugh!”
Dax also called out the empire on their bullshit. Everyone there was a snake. Backstabbing , lying, cheating. Prattle on about honour then go and behave like slightly dimwitted Romulans. At least Romulans are honest about valuing cunning and guile above all else. The workings of the Klingons empire are also a great demonstration of why monarchy is a bad idea.
That was especially Ezri Dax and IMO a great way for the writers to show that Jadzia and Ezri are very different. Jadzia was very into Klingon culture and kind of celebrated the backstabbing and cheating way of the Klingons. She played the game and enjoyed it. Ezri was more like “you guys are hypocrites and you suck”
I thought the Klingons didn’t develop space travel on their own. Weren’t they invaded by another race and then the Klingons eventually defeated them, and took their technology for themselves?
There are definitely more Klingon professions shown on screen. There’s a Klingon Chef working on DS9, there are more than one case where we see Klingon lawyers and I remember at least one Klingon Scientist. And while B’Elanna is only half-Klingon, her character shows how a Klingon could work as an engineer. All of them probably cases of toxic work environments, but they seem to work. What we see mostly on screen are the crew of warships. Other species must think every Human is a scientist or diplomat.
simply no way they would ever have adopted the scientific method let alone made it into space.
Isn’t it canon that they stole most of the spacefaring technology from the Romulans when they made first contact?
I really appreciate that the new shows actually demonstrate how Spock and T’Lyn are mavericks. They only seem stoic and stuffy because they’re around humans; put them with other vulcans and they’re clearly much more emotional and, counterintuitively, more rational, than their peers.
On one hand, the Duras Sisters disprove your point. Then again, “You have manipulated the circumstances with the skill of a Romulan.” Yeeeeaaaahhh… Point taken.
That was said not as a racial jab, but as a not so subtle statement that Picard and the Federation knew the sisters Duras were working for the romulans. It also carries the underlying significance that the Federation knew about Khitomer and their families betrayal.
It’s a warning shot to let them know their subterfuge had been uncovered, and the Federation has them by the short hairs in several directions. Its intended to put them on the backfoot in the ensuing fight.
It’s just that humans get to have all kinds of personalities while other races are for the most part depicted as being exactly what the cliche of their races would be if they truly existed.
Therefore Star Trek is racist.
Perhaps the most egregious example would be the Klingons. Worf talks of Klingons in an idealized sense, code of honor and all that. But apart from him and Martok, most of the Klingons we see are stupid and belligerent, and just as conniving as any Romulan. If you assume that the totality of them as a people are what we see of them there’s simply no way they would ever have adopted the scientific method let alone made it into space. Somewhere out there there would have to be klingon scientists, lawyers, janitors, engineers, doctors, artists, etc. All we hear about is warriors but they alone do not make a civilization.
I always figured Worf had an idealized view of Klingon honor, given it was a culture he cherished but wasn’t actually raised in. Dax also calls him out on his atypical behavior - “Klingons do not laugh.” “No, you don’t laugh!”
Dax also called out the empire on their bullshit. Everyone there was a snake. Backstabbing , lying, cheating. Prattle on about honour then go and behave like slightly dimwitted Romulans. At least Romulans are honest about valuing cunning and guile above all else. The workings of the Klingons empire are also a great demonstration of why monarchy is a bad idea.
That was especially Ezri Dax and IMO a great way for the writers to show that Jadzia and Ezri are very different. Jadzia was very into Klingon culture and kind of celebrated the backstabbing and cheating way of the Klingons. She played the game and enjoyed it. Ezri was more like “you guys are hypocrites and you suck”
That was Guinan.
Y’know, I’d forgotten that Guinan also did that!
I thought the Klingons didn’t develop space travel on their own. Weren’t they invaded by another race and then the Klingons eventually defeated them, and took their technology for themselves?
There are definitely more Klingon professions shown on screen. There’s a Klingon Chef working on DS9, there are more than one case where we see Klingon lawyers and I remember at least one Klingon Scientist. And while B’Elanna is only half-Klingon, her character shows how a Klingon could work as an engineer. All of them probably cases of toxic work environments, but they seem to work. What we see mostly on screen are the crew of warships. Other species must think every Human is a scientist or diplomat.
Isn’t it canon that they stole most of the spacefaring technology from the Romulans when they made first contact?
I really enjoyed Strange New Worlds portrayal of vulcans, they were much more nuanced.
I really appreciate that the new shows actually demonstrate how Spock and T’Lyn are mavericks. They only seem stoic and stuffy because they’re around humans; put them with other vulcans and they’re clearly much more emotional and, counterintuitively, more rational, than their peers.
“I regret that you had to witness that outburst.”
On one hand, the Duras Sisters disprove your point. Then again, “You have manipulated the circumstances with the skill of a Romulan.” Yeeeeaaaahhh… Point taken.
That was said not as a racial jab, but as a not so subtle statement that Picard and the Federation knew the sisters Duras were working for the romulans. It also carries the underlying significance that the Federation knew about Khitomer and their families betrayal.
It’s a warning shot to let them know their subterfuge had been uncovered, and the Federation has them by the short hairs in several directions. Its intended to put them on the backfoot in the ensuing fight.