[arconis987]

Might seem stupid, but I found the following thought experiment interesting. Discovered it on Reddit.

The OP was working in the finance sector surrounded by people whose values conflicted with his.

He wrote something like this:

If you are in an environment surrounded by people with whom you disagree, pretend that you are a Federation officer in an exchange program serving on a Ferengi vessel. Most of the crew’s values will bother you, but you’re not there to correct Ferengi culture. You’re there to learn whatever there is to learn from them and contribute in a positive way to the running of the ship. Being combative won’t change the Ferengi, but your positive example might update some views.

[furgooswft13]

Well that scenario is almost literally a TNG episode (A Matter of Honor [0]), just Klingons instead of Ferengi.

Though it is interesting that the Federation almost universally treats the Ferengi with derision, while going out of their way to respect Klingon culture. Over-the-top capitalist/misogynist versus over-the-top barbarous/murderous. Take your pick I guess.

DS9 does address this a few times, especially Quark's speeches in The Siege of AR-558. And Ezri does a damn good take down of Klingon honor culture right to Worf's face in Tacking into the Wind, exposing the hypocrisy of it in an empire riddled with corruption.

Dunno what thread I'm in anymore, but I do like Star Trek.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Matter_of_Honor

[fatbird]

I think you put your finger on it there: Klingon honour culture. In other words, there's an admirable culture underlying the exterior brutishness; a human in Klingon society had something to grab onto that they could respect and work with.

As I recall, the Ferengi never received the same thing. They were always their miserable, grubby little selves. Even Cardassians were given an underpinning of extreme loyalty to family and the security/success of their children, which explained their rigid society as an outgrowth of that strong internal family order. Some of the best scenes in all of Star Trek are where Garak explains Cardassian culture--like how their literature is always about how the state is right.

[keiru]

People discussing stuff and having those daily inconsequential political debates is what shapes society and culture.

I do understand the practicality of the advice, and I've implemented it in the past, but so just nobody fool themselves it's not far from meaning "You might be happier if you detach yourself from society". Not so dramatically, but it's like becoming a guest and partaking in cooperation but not culture.

[calf]

Except that you would not have the backing of the Federation