Bronson

Did you see it as a legitimate policy of non interference or a cop out to not help when you can?

Chris

hmm ... good question. I always thought of it as a legitmate non-interference policy based on human history of cultures believing their own set of values are the best and should be followed by everybody else.

Wild Pikachu

Hmmm... Actually, I think the answer is both. Like lots of other things in Trekdom, the PD evolved over time, reflecting the values of American culture. Originally, in TOS (in the 60's), it was a legitimate policy of non-interference, which, most importantly, only applied to developing cultures. That point was explicitly made in the seminal PD episodes, "A Private Little War" and "The Omega Glory"... The original PD said nothing about interacting/interfering in what might be considered the "internal affairs" of other technologically-advanced, spacefaring cultures—something which Kirk did on a regular basis. Note that in "The Apple," Kirk went so far as to essentially destroy a peaceful primitive culture to save the Enterprise, and while Spock did point out that paradise had indeed been destroyed, there was no great condemnation evident.

It was only in the 80's and 90's, with TNG and beyond, that the PD morphed into a neo-isolationist, hands-off-everywhere policy (again, reflecting American sentiments of the time). It's important to note, though, that TPTB always presented the modern-day PD as a principle with ambiguity and a great deal of debate, showing time and again that there was no shortage of people in the 24th century who were morally outraged by the PD's strictures.

And that's my two cents.

Chris

You sell your opinions cheap.

I can vaguely remember a few episodes where there was some debate if the PD really applied in this instance because of some catastrophic event where the person felt morally bound to interfere rather than stand by and do nothing. Basically it comes down to, do we have the right to play God? And if we do so, are we sure that we're not doing something because it's in our own best interests?

I suppose that space-faring cultures would be considered equals, so that would explain not applying the PD to relationships with them.

wickedrum

I do not like the Prime Directive. Because they same way as god, they close their eyes over injustices, stupidity and suffering. Not right!

Chris

I know what you mean. There's accepting that different cultures have different traditions, but sometimes you have to put compassion first.

Meliana

I think the trouble often is on the various shows the PD is trotted out as a moral dilemma, but in other episodes it gets in the way and is simply ignored, or the characters reference it, and then ignore it anyway when it gets in way of the plot. Especially concerning the temporal PD which never seems to be observed. There was a huge parallel timeline wiped out in Voyager just so we get our characters back the way they were. There's really no point having these uncrossable lines, and then just crossing them anyway on one instance because it suits us, whereas other times letting cultures/civilisations suffer because we've refused to cross that line.

I get that it makes good stories that way, but it does become laughable at times.

crash landing

Oh Prime Directive as Kirk and his problems with it related to especially Into Darkness