Years ago, when I watched the TNG episode "Darmok" I thought it was the stupidest thing. Now memes are basically a good 20% of the conversation. Trump at the White House. Two scoops, two terms. When the walls rise.
They certainly repeat it enough in the episode, that they basically became very episode-specific memes. And just as easy to remember.
In our present day, it was actually the left's endless effort to rerun the 2016 election that makes them into mini-stories that exists in a strange, endless present. Trump is always getting his two scoops while the libtard bites down on a nothing-burger over the latest "scandal". The Covington Kid is always smiling with his MAGA hat on while any number of triggered lefty ladies(?) are wailing at the sky. Regardless of the politics of Trek, we are remembering the episode right, that these are markers of challenges overcame.
Darmok is one of my favorite TNG episodes, I think precisely because it makes you think about how language really works. I was pretty young when TNG aired and I always kind of thought, meh, whatever, about most of the episodes and wasn't really a fan.
Then I caught it on Netflix back in 2010 when Netflix had well-curated back-catalogue content such as TNG instead of the crap they have now. Wow... what a series. These days you find it on CBS All Access with all the other Trek.
I don't care at all for Sir Patrick's current politics but damn he did a great job bringing that writing to life. The Captain Picard character is really more libertarian than leftist, but Sir Patrick is decidedly more "team leftist" than libertarian, which is a real shame. Did he just forget all the acting he did around the Borg and the individual being subsumed by the collective? He could be one of the greats and instead he's reduced to being another collectivist leftist shill.
Anyway... great Star Trek TNG reference. When the walls rise.
I too, re-watched it. That is when I realized due to the limit time of an episode, despite the narrative being they are dealing with metaphors, they are dealing with memes. There is talk about meme-ing things into reality, but really with internet making the world searchable, then large numbers and long time will fill in all narrative gaps. The Darmok society is just one that was around long enough so that everything has a story, and an easy way to recall it.
From there I realized our constant references to two scoops, side of beef, nimble navigator...etc are complete obtuse to an outside observer, but each encapsulates a mini-story with a grain of truth.
Dawkins conceptualized the concept of 'meme' as the cultural parallel to genes. Passed down through generations, mutated, improved upon, forming the basis of new generations of thought. Have we all become basically blood relatives by meming Trump into two terms? I submit yes, exactly that.
FYI Patrick Stewart didn't write any of his lines. Per his own admission he was never allowed into a writers room until 2019. Actors are hired because they are masters at two skills: repeating scripts from memory and conveying the emotions that sell a narrative.
It's foolish to think that people who made a career of those two skills are not still doing exactly that when it comes to politics. The only difference is the writers room is a political think tank and the set is a CNN panel.
Yes, that's what I was trying to get at. The TNG writers were very good. I give Sir Patrick a lot of credit for delivering that writing the way that he did. He brought it to life as though he genuinely believed in all of those principles.
That's why it's so disheartening to see him piss all of that away by now saying the exact opposite of everything the written character he played stood for. It's truly a shame.
Years ago, when I watched the TNG episode "Darmok" I thought it was the stupidest thing. Now memes are basically a good 20% of the conversation. Trump at the White House. Two scoops, two terms. When the walls rise.
Strategerium, his arms wide
I'm not certain which is weirder, that others remember this episode or that I can recall it without effort...
Temba, at rest.
Picard and Dathon at El-Adrel
DARMOK AND JALAD AT TENAGRA
Termac, the river Termac, in winter.
Shaka when the Walls Fell
Temba, his arms wide
Those are the most memorable ones, amongst many others. I didn't have to look it up, I too can remember it with no effort.
They certainly repeat it enough in the episode, that they basically became very episode-specific memes. And just as easy to remember. In our present day, it was actually the left's endless effort to rerun the 2016 election that makes them into mini-stories that exists in a strange, endless present. Trump is always getting his two scoops while the libtard bites down on a nothing-burger over the latest "scandal". The Covington Kid is always smiling with his MAGA hat on while any number of triggered lefty ladies(?) are wailing at the sky. Regardless of the politics of Trek, we are remembering the episode right, that these are markers of challenges overcame.
Last episode of Enterprise. When the walls fell.
Is that the one with Scott Bakula walking around in his tighty-whities talking to a beagle?
HIS NAME WAS CHARLES "TRIP" TUCKER III
Darmok is one of my favorite TNG episodes, I think precisely because it makes you think about how language really works. I was pretty young when TNG aired and I always kind of thought, meh, whatever, about most of the episodes and wasn't really a fan.
Then I caught it on Netflix back in 2010 when Netflix had well-curated back-catalogue content such as TNG instead of the crap they have now. Wow... what a series. These days you find it on CBS All Access with all the other Trek.
I don't care at all for Sir Patrick's current politics but damn he did a great job bringing that writing to life. The Captain Picard character is really more libertarian than leftist, but Sir Patrick is decidedly more "team leftist" than libertarian, which is a real shame. Did he just forget all the acting he did around the Borg and the individual being subsumed by the collective? He could be one of the greats and instead he's reduced to being another collectivist leftist shill.
Anyway... great Star Trek TNG reference. When the walls rise.
I too, re-watched it. That is when I realized due to the limit time of an episode, despite the narrative being they are dealing with metaphors, they are dealing with memes. There is talk about meme-ing things into reality, but really with internet making the world searchable, then large numbers and long time will fill in all narrative gaps. The Darmok society is just one that was around long enough so that everything has a story, and an easy way to recall it.
From there I realized our constant references to two scoops, side of beef, nimble navigator...etc are complete obtuse to an outside observer, but each encapsulates a mini-story with a grain of truth.
If a bunch of aliens tried to translate what goes on here, they'd be wondering why we keep talking about food and calling each other insects.
Dawkins conceptualized the concept of 'meme' as the cultural parallel to genes. Passed down through generations, mutated, improved upon, forming the basis of new generations of thought. Have we all become basically blood relatives by meming Trump into two terms? I submit yes, exactly that.
FYI Patrick Stewart didn't write any of his lines. Per his own admission he was never allowed into a writers room until 2019. Actors are hired because they are masters at two skills: repeating scripts from memory and conveying the emotions that sell a narrative.
It's foolish to think that people who made a career of those two skills are not still doing exactly that when it comes to politics. The only difference is the writers room is a political think tank and the set is a CNN panel.
Yes, that's what I was trying to get at. The TNG writers were very good. I give Sir Patrick a lot of credit for delivering that writing the way that he did. He brought it to life as though he genuinely believed in all of those principles.
That's why it's so disheartening to see him piss all of that away by now saying the exact opposite of everything the written character he played stood for. It's truly a shame.
The Drumhead is good, season 4, TNG. Really pertains to modern witch hunts.. The Wounded, season 4 TNG is also good with the intro of the Cardassians.