Star Trek: TNG and DS9 are both working towards Utopian Ideals. They merely show different ways of embracing this optimistic vision.
And this is somewhat of a shallow and superficial interpretation of both series. Critiques like this often involve a gross oversimplification of complex nuances and dimensions presented in Star Trek. In actuality, every Star Trek Show, not just Deep Space Nine, has explored dark areas. This includes The Next Generation and The Original Series.
Part 1: Is the TNG-era Federation really a utopia?
In the TNG season 1 episode, "Too Short a Season", there was a Starfleet officer who would violate the Prime Directive and condemn an entire planet to years of civil war just to advance his own career and selfish interests. Episodes like "The Wounded" illustrate that humans still struggle with prejudices, Chief O'Brien refused to have a drink with a Cardassian and Captain Maxwell is actively defying orders and trying to drag the Federation into a war with the Cardassian Union again. "Ensign Ro" shows just how disillusioned converts to the Federation's ideology can be and Ro ultimately betrays them for the Maquis. In "The Pegasus", Admiral Pressman is trying to subvert the Treaty of Algeron by developing an experimental cloaking device and we learn that even Commander Riker has been participating in the cover-up for almost all of his career. In the episode, "the Drumhead", we can see that senseless Witch hunts, injustice and authoritarianism caused by paranoia can still take place in the Federation.
Part 2: Why DS9 is not as "dark" as many would like to believe
Conventional wisdom has often described Deep Space Nine as the more "edgy", "pessimistic", or “cynical” show. Many even believe that it somehow deviated from TNG's optimistic theme, or that it "betrayed" Gene Roddenberry's vision. While it is true that DS9 did explore much darker areas than its predecessors, we CANNOT disregard the major steps of progress the show took during the span of the series. Following the end of the Dominion War, the direction DS9 takes us is one of an even greater growth and improvement than we have ever seen before.
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| Signing of the Treaty of Bajor |
We find that despite all the violence and horrors as a result of the Occupation of Bajor and the Dominion War, the very values and ideals which the Federation was founded upon, Not only triumphed and flourished in the end, but also spread across the stars.
In DS9, the triumph of the Federation’s progressive ideals manifested itself into many forms:
The Klingon Empire and the Federation end up on a path to a greater alliance and peace between them, even so under the leadership of Chancellor Martok, who hoped to reform the Klingon political establishment out of its large corruption problem
The Romulans began to open up for closer cultural and diplomatic relations with the Federation and other outsiders on an unprecedented scale.
- The Ferengi are undergoing sweeping societal and political changes away from misogyny and greed, with a respected Ferengi in Starfleet. Ishka and Rom hoped to introduce a new appreciation for equality, tolerance, and compassion in Ferengi society. The newly reformed Ferengi government even began establishing progressive economic policies like expanded social welfare, labor rights, and universal healthcare.
The Cardassians undergo a revolution away from their fascist ideals.
The Bajorans have recovered from a horrible foreign occupation into their own flourishing and prospering republic. Some Bajorans like Kira have even learned to grow past their hatred and prejudice towards Cardassians.
Even their great enemies, the Dominion, seem to have Odo return to them and help impart a respect for life, individuality, and freedom.
The parties responsible for acts of atrocities like Gul Dukat, the Pah-Wraiths, the Female Changeling, Section 31, Obsidian Order, Tal'Shiar, Cardassian Union, and Kai Winn, all have been dealt with justice.
DS9 merely presented the challenges of achieving utopia, but it NEVER dismissed the ideal. DS9 has NEVER asserted that Federation ideals are terrible, naive or unsustainable, it simply acknowledges that those ideals require more work to uphold. Another important thing to note: it was NOT DS9 that displayed the cracks in the Federation's supposed "utopia", it was TNG that did. DS9 merely examined those same cracks in further detail and scrutiny.
Even in war, DS9 remains optimistic. The values of the Federation are reaffirmed at nearly every turn. DS9 shows the rough, stumbling nature and history of humanity and the Federation; but never forgets our constant march towards bettering ourselves and those around us as best we can.
Examples of DS9's commitment to Federation Principles:
The Federation upholds the Prime Directive and avoids interfering in Bajoran affairs to the point of almost letting the Cardassians take over. (DS9: The Homecoming, The Circle, The Siege)
They struggle against their own colonists to preserve the fragile peace with the Cardassians.(The Maquis I and II)
Even as the Dominion displays open hostility towards the Federation, Sisko seeks the Founders in attempt to reach a diplomatic solution. (The Search)
When the Klingons invade Cardassia, they side with the new Cardassian civilian government, condemn the invasion, and stand up against their allies to the point of open conflict. (Way of the Warrior)
They constantly provided aid to Bajor and even offered it to the Cardassians.
When Bajor decides not to join the Federation, they have no objections.
Sisko and his crew fight Section 31 at every point. (Extreme Measures)
Admiral Ross risks the crucial alliance with the Romulans to protect Bajor from Romulan exploitation and bullying. (Image in the Sand)
Julian Bashir and Chief O'Brien work diligently to find the cure for the Morphogenic virus, even risking their own lives to do it. (Extreme Measures)
Part 3: What Star Trek Utopian Ideals are actually about
Star Trek’s utopian philosophy is NOT about arriving at a certain threshold or Passing some arbitrary finish line and suddenly expecting all the problems to disappear. No, it is supposed to show that the march towards Utopia is an ongoing, continuous process.
Without the constant incentive for improvement, growth, and advancement, we are stagnant. And when we stagnate, we will start to decay. Star Trek’s core philosophy dictates that stagnation is not an option, which is why it chooses constant advancement over degeneration.
Any progress that has been achieved could always be potentially forgotten or reverted, which is why it is important for people to remember the constant effort to advance forward in order to prevent further regression. And it matters little that Utopia is an unreachable goal. It is the continuing effort and drive to improve ourselves that matters. Star Trek is about the journey, not the destination.
This idea can be summarized by Captain Kirk's quote:
"All right. It's instinctive. But the instinct can be fought. We're human beings with the blood of a million savage years on our hands, but we can stop it. We can admit that we're killers, but we're not going to kill today. That's all it takes. Knowing that we won't kill today. "
-Captain James Kirk (TOS: "A Taste of Armageddon")
"I realized it is the struggle itself that is most important. We must strive to be more than we are, Lal. It does not matter that we will never reach our ultimate goal. The effort yields its own rewards."
-Commander Data (TNG: "The Offspring")
"It is the unknown that defines our existence. We are constantly searching, not just for answers to our questions, but for new questions. We are explorers. We explore our lives, day by day, and we explore the galaxy, trying to expand the boundaries of our knowledge. And that is why I am here. Not to conquer you either with weapons or with ideas, but to co-exist and learn."
-Commander Benjamin Sisko (DS9: "Emissary ")
This highlights why the Federation is always expanding, growing, and searching. Instead of a stagnant "Utopia", this shows an ever growing, learning, and evolving humanity.
Part 4: Humanism in people, not institutions
DS9 has often presented skepticism towards centralized authority and institutions, but that does not mean that the series is a rejection of the humanism and optimism at the heart of Star Trek. Far from it. DS9 simply finds humanism and optimism in individuals rather than centralized institutions.
It shows that institutions and bodies of authority can be corrupted. DS9 fundamentally encourages people to peacefully coexist. The show simply acknowledges that this still takes work, but believes it can happen. The themes in DS9 repeatedly argue that individuals are good, and capable of doing truly wondrous things.
For example, Odo often finds himself betrayed and undermined by various institutions over the course of the series; he is marginalized by Starfleet and was even used as a biological weapon by Starfleet's Section 31. However, the episode "Chimera" makes it clear that Odo has more faith in Kira than he would ever hold in Starfleet or any other institution for that matter.
This is not to say that institutions are always going to be morally bankrupt, only that these institutions and organized bodies are only as decent as the people and individuals within them. It argues that the legitimacy of Institutional principles is determined by the integrity of each individuals' moral foundations.
Part 5: Conclusion
Hopefully, this article will encourage some to reconsider their negative viewpoints surrounding either of these shows. And above all, I hope that it will challenge any preconceptions or biases towards either show.
All I ask is for the viewers to briefly set aside their emotional biases, so that we can rationally analyze the shows' nuances before dismissing them based on narrow and superficial descriptions.
