To: trekcreative{at}yahoogroups.com
From: "ronwaldyo" 
Reply-To: trekcreative{at}yahoogroups.com

-+- In trekcreative{at}yahoogroups.com, Garry Stahl  wrote:
> DarkHrzn91701{at}a... wrote:
>
> >There should be a "down" side to this arrangement
> >of theirs. Can you truly be an individual after
> >being part of a collective mind?  Haven't you
> >given up part of that individuality to join
> >the larger group?
> >
> >
>
> From our point of view yes, that's a down side.
> From their point of
> view it could well be a plus.

But who is the "their" you're refering to?  Is it the individual
or the collective?  If an individual has become part of a collective, can
we know if they wish to remain that way or has so much of their
individuality been subjigated that they can no longer express their point
of view any longer?

>
> To quote the Garry Trek Prime Directive point five.
>
> 5)  Our way is not the universal way.  Don't shove it
> down anyone's throat.  This applies even to players.
> If someone asks us to leave them be, and leaves us be
> also, we will follow their wishes. Someone out there
> may invent a superior social system we all might find
> better.  They will not however if we give them ours.
>
> What principle 5 means is that if the people of
> whatever world are happy with their social system,
> and don't force it on any one else, then Our
> Way is not better, even if we think so.  If being
> networked is what these people prefer, we have no
> superior moral stance in individualism.
> Indeed if the Borg were not rapacious, and left
> others alone, there would be no conflict with the
> Borg.  Should the Federation barge onto the networked
> world and start attacking the nodes with fire axes we
> would be as bad as the Borg by forcing our "superior
> individualism" on those that did not desire it.
>

But how can we know if "being networked is what these people
prefer" if there is no way to ask "these people" as
individuals?  All we know is what the collective mind wants.  If an
individual wants out of the collective, how would we know unless it is
willing to sacrifice its collective identity and let the person free?

Can a person who has been raised on a world where the collective mind is
the norm even know what they want as an individual?

I'm not suggesting answers here.  I just think these are the kinds of
questions that would come up when confronted by a collective mind.

-Michael Gray
Star Trek: Dark Horizon
http://hometown.aol.com/darkhrzn91701/main.htm



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