In my original essay-series KEEPING VS SHARING, starting here, I provided an overview of the ways in which Liberal ethics prioritize “Sharing” while Conservative ethics prioritize “Keeping.” However, the broad scope of that overview meant I could not address some of the finer points.
For context, I’ve considered myself a Liberal for most of my life. However, I belonged to that now nearly extinct subspecies known as the “Classical Liberal,” a group largely crowded out by a more toxic form of Liberalism often called “the Progressive.” Though Classical Liberals were never perfect, they possessed a definite ethical compass validated by many (though not all) historical developments. I am proud to say that I was never drawn into the barren pseudo-ethics of the Progressive, whose message often reduces to, “Share what we tell you to share—even if we, the movement’s leaders, do not practice what we preach.”
Still, rather than fully embracing Conservative ethics, I consider myself a Centrist, attempting to chart a course between the extreme virtues and vices of both systems.
Hopefully you read part one of this review here. Now let’s run through Star Trek‘s second season for the same reasons.
AMOK TIME— Kirk is told to “keep” his place. But if he did that, how would everyone have discovered that, even for a Vulcan, a mere mating drive can’t compete with the bonds forged through the mutual SHARING of danger and adventure? (“Slash” interpretations not considered.)
WHO MOURNS FOR ADONAIS? — If earlier episodes told the Trekkers to KEEP clear of “men like gods,” what chance does a mere ET-god have in the Roddenverse?
THE CHANGELING— These mergers between mechanical devices of different power levels rarely work out, and the Trekkers have to teach Nomad that he should have KEPT to his own lane.
MIRROR, MIRROR— Lurking beneath every sincere devotee of the Trekkers’ humanism lies the mirror-reversed image of a Machiavellian questing for pure power. Yet despite this fact, the world of naked power politics must ultimately SHARE the same destiny as the world of squishy Liberals.
THE APPLE— What’s the point of living in a world where you “share” everything but sex? Once again, it’s necessary to KEEP all those officious gods out of the way in order to realize mankind’s (almost) atheist destiny.
CATSPAW— And while you’re at it, make sure you also tell all witches and warlocks to KEEP off the Trekkers’ lawns.
I, MUDD— At the same time, the Trekkers must remain ever vigilant in KEEPING down all those upstart A.I.s who can’t appreciate the logic of the wreath of pretty birds that smell bad—or was that the logic of the tweeting flowers?
METAMORPHOSIS— You can’t overSHARE much more than discovering that your nice, clean first contact with an ET was actually her version of Boogie Nights. Yet this time, the prospects for this mixed marriage seem positive.
JOURNEY TO BABEL— The SHARING of common goals by civilized races is all very well, but father and son SHARING in the (light) mockery of the wife/mother is the real standout ethic here.
OBSESSION— Kirk as Ahab? Or once again, is he saved by SHARING the eminently sane priorities of all faithful Trekkers?
THE TROUBLE WITH TRIBBLES— See what happens when you “share” too much? You learn to KEEP your decks clear of those verminous critters that’ll eat you out of house and home if you let them. You know. Progressives.
THE GAMESTERS OF TRISKELION— Just like the Mirror Universe, all big-brained aliens must learn to SHARE in the glories of representative democracy.
A PIECE OF THE ACTION— On the other hand, “sharing” scientific innovations with gangsta ETs might make you wish you’d simply KEPT traveling past that particular planet.
A PRIVATE LITTLE WAR— Call this one “KEEPING up with the Klingons,” not in terms of conspicuous consumption but military escalation. “Sharing” a disease isn’t altogether ethical.
BY ANY OTHER NAME— As in Arena and Mirror, Mirror, the very process of “keeping” your borders can lead to mutual respect and the SHARING of common humanity.
THE OMEGA GLORY— Nothing says SHARING like worlds so parallel they even have the natives mangling their Latin.
BREAD AND CIRCUSES— Only some minor SHARING of parallel evolution—regarding, of all things, revealed religion.
ASSIGNMENT EARTH— The Trekkers learn that they’re not the only cosmic busybodies seeking to SHARE beneficent ethics with lesser worlds—even such primitive frontier planets as 1960s Earth.
(Second season episodes excluded: THE DOOMSDAY MACHINE, FRIDAY’S CHILD, THE DEADLY YEARS, WOLF IN THE FOLD, THE IMMUNITY SYNDROME, RETURN TO TOMORROW, PATTERNS OF FORCE, THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER.)
***
English (US) · 