musings on the most famous of grudges

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 6:10 pm

Teaos wrote:Probably has a lot to do with Starfleet academt being on Earth. If a human doesn't know what to do they go join Starfleet were as a Andorian would have a bot of a harder time doing that. Maybe a lot of those 150 species don't like fighting as a whole. only say 30 would consider it.

I don't see why species other than Humans would have a hard go of joining Starfleet. If their structured anything like a modern military they would presumably pay for your trip to Earth to attend the recruit training facility provided you passed the entry requirements which I imagine would be different for each species, taking into account their different strengths and weaknesses.

Post by **Mikey** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 8:30 pm

I don't see why species other than Humans would have a hard go of joining Starfleet. If their structured anything like a modern military they would presumably pay for your trip to Earth to attend the recruit training facility provided you passed the entry requirements which I imagine would be different for each species, taking into account their different strengths and weaknesses.

Indeed, we have even seen Starfleet Academy admit non-Federation species.

Regarding the Federations population, I always felt that Starfleet was pretty much handed to the humans. I see the Federation as employing a sort of 'caste' system for different races.
Humans are the warriors, Vulcans the diplomats and scientists, Androians and Thelarites for...er....whatever they do. Clearly it isn't enforced or in law, but its probably what's 'expected' of every race.

Unfortunately, it is much easier to talk about generic racial (speciies-ial?) tendencies, than about individual natures when you're discussing 150+ different cultures in the Federation. So you do say this particular division of labor along species lines, as Rochey described.

Of course we should reasonbably expect as much variation in interests and talents among any given species as we do among humans, but it's very difficult to depict that in a TV show.

Granitehewer · Post by **Granitehewer** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 8:59 pm

unfortunately its all too easy to talk about cultural/racial tendencies, even with small populations........humanity is doomed

Post by **Teaos** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 1:23 am

Maybe other species keep a form of military themselves. A small amount of craft for local matters and science. Thus they may choose to join that agency rather than Starfleet whihc is packed full of Humans because they don't have an independant agency.

Post by **Mikey** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 2:35 am

good point... "Unification" referred to (and showed) Vulcan ships - NOT Starfleet ships. However, even if this is the case, the ratio of humans to non-humans in Starfleet still seems to far outpace such a ratio in the Federation in toto.

Post by **Teaos** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 3:00 am

It could also be because makeup costs a lot of money...

With a combination of Starfleet being on Earth the fact we are a founding race and other space agencies for other species I could see there being a human bias in starfleet.

Sionnach Glic · Post by **Sionnach Glic** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 1:27 pm

Good point Teaos.
Do we know for a fact that the only acadamy is on Earth?

Post by **Teaos** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 1:30 pm

They have never said it is the only one but people have been seen traveling a long distance to go to the one on Earth. Maybe its not the only one but just the best.

I'd guess there is something like colleges everywhere for you to learn engineering and the like. Thats probably where all the NCO's come from.

Sionnach Glic · Post by **Sionnach Glic** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 1:45 pm

Seems likely. I sure as hell hope that Earth isn't the only acadamy, or else the Federation just became a whole lot stupider.

Post by **Captain Seafort** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 1:46 pm

Rochey wrote:Seems likely. I sure as hell hope that Earth isn't the only acadamy, or else the Federation just became a whole lot stupider.

Is that even possible?

Post by **Teaos** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 1:53 pm

Well they don't have nearly the same level as friendly fire as modern militarys do... so they are no more stupid than we are.

Sionnach Glic · Post by **Sionnach Glic** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 2:15 pm

Thats because they don't have a ground force!

Post by **Captain Seafort** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 2:20 pm

Rochey wrote:Thats because they don't have a ground force!

On the contrary, they do indeed have a ground force. The fact that it's about as experienced and well-equipped as the Swiss Navy does not mean that it doesn't exist.

Sionnach Glic · Post by **Sionnach Glic** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 2:23 pm

Okay, a competant ground force is what I should have said.

Post by **Mikey** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 2:50 pm

Umm... in the interest of propounding the idiocy of Starfleet, have we ever seen a dedicated ground force, well-trained and equipped or not? In AR-558, what served as a ground force seemed to simply be Starfleet regulars who happened to get assigned there instead of to a starship.

Now add to that the fact that the security personnel in TUC were far better equipped and trained (if the conspirators' actions could be deemed typical of security training,) and we have not only poor planning and structuring by Starfleet, but an actual relative regression in capabilities...