Does the Prime Directive only apply to pre-warp civilizations or not?

I think the only logical answer is that he is Picard and thus can do whatever he wants. He’s kind of the Chuck Norris of the Star Trek universe.

@KatawaGrey said Chuck Norris, not AstroChuck!

To the question: What is important is plot development, not consistancy on the PD. I will say that they mean for it to apply to all civilizations at a lower stage of development.

I concur with @KatawaGrey (with exception to the Chuck Norris reference. What a tool. Chuck Norris couldn’t hold James T. Kirk’s jockstrap!). The Prime Directive is open to interpretation. If you think the rules of PD is a bit nebulous on TNG, watch the original (and far superior) Star Trek. Kirk showed just how flexible the Prime Directive could truly be.

Just messing with ya.

The Prime Directive forbids any tampering with the internal affairs of any pre-warp civilisation.

On occasion, Starfleet allows secretive, investigative missions, provided crews do not leave behind any technology or reveal their identities to the locals.

Once a planet makes First Contact, all bets are off to some extent, though Starfleet respects the wishes of any civilisation that is not a protectorate of the Federation. The Prime Directive is a Starfleet order, not a Federation order, and it does not apply to Federation citizens.

Picard, if I recall, is guilty of at least nine violations of the Prime Directive.

@Seek_Kolinahr What about Justice? The crew go on shore leave there, but once Wesley is set to be executed, Picard’s all “ooo, I can’t interfere because of the PD” – either he can interfere, or they shouldn’t have been having shore leave there. Or The Masterpiece Society – Picard says that they shouldn’t interfere even though they have warp drive, as they were humans, and then at the end, says that the damage they did there was worse than if the entire planet had been wiped out, cuz God knows change and time being one-directional is soooo much worse than death….

Are those some of the violations you were talking about? Is there a list of the nine+ violations?

During a skit on SNL years ago, William Shatner advised a room full of Trekkies to “Get a life.”

I’m just sayin’.

@Austinlad And we all know that Shatner never, ever let his life be taken over by Star Trek, and is considered to be one of the top models for balanced mental health.

Here’s the text of the Prime Directive:

”Nothing within these articles of Federation shall authorize the United Federation of Planets to intervene in matters which are essentially the domestic jurisdiction of any planetary social system, or shall require the members to submit such matters to settlement under these Articles of Federation; But this principle shall not prejudice the application of enforcement measures under Chapter VII.

As the right of each sentient species to live in accordance with its normal cultural evolution is considered sacred, no Starfleet personnel may interfere with the normal and healthy development of alien life and culture. Such interference includes introducing superior knowledge, strength, or technology to a world whose society is incapable of handling such advantages wisely. Starfleet personnel may not violate this Prime Directive, even to save their lives and/or their ship, unless they are acting to right an earlier violation or an accidental contamination of said culture. This directive takes precedence over any and all other considerations, and carries with it the highest moral obligation.”

Clearly, violating a law on a non-Federation alien planet would subject a person to their law.

They did, eventually, violate the Prime Directive in order to transport everyone away and save (that annoying, obsinate) Wesley’s (pathetic little) life.

@Austinlad Would you be saying that if I had asked “OMG, I thought Carrie was still with Big – what is she doing with Aidan???” (you know, aside from a blanket judgment that I watched Sex and the City in the first place…)

@Seek_Kolinahr Oh, good, you hate Wesley too. I met someone a couple days ago who loved him. It ended all three minutes of our friendship.
So then it’s a different part of the PD. Cool. I know Picard gets to do whatever he wants, it’s when it’s not acknowledged that he’s not supposed to that I get very confused.

Oh, yeah. I have no problem with Wil Wheaton – I’ve followed his blog for a while, and his Twitter when I care enough to look at that stupid site, and he actually seems like a really cool guy (in nerd terms, of course). It’s the character of Wesley Crusher that sucks.

@Seek_Kolinahr I haven’t looked at Wil Wheaton, but I also haven’t looked at Patrick Stewart or Brent Spiner – looking at the actor has a tendency to ruin the character for me, so I don’t (although I do follow the works of many, just not the personal lives/beliefs/etc).

Patrick Stewart… I wish he were my uncle. He’s just awesome.

Spiner seems to be kind of a dick, really (from participating in live chats via startrek.com and reading his twitter). Which is funny, because he and Stewart are bosom buddies (he was Stewart’s best man!) Maybe it’s a facade he puts on, because I’ve heard from several people who’ve met or seen him at conventions that he’s a self-centered jerk.

Another person I wish I were related to – Leonard Nimoy.

Patrick Stewart is awesome, especially with a beard.

Picard is just a pompous, racist asshole who flies around the universe telling everyone else how superior he and the rest of humanity is whilst quoting Shakespeare and sipping Earl Grey.

@chocolatechip Pompous I’ll give you, but racist?

@chocolatechip I thought Stewart was the racist one?

@Seek_Kolinahr

Maybe not overtly, but I often detect certain racist overtones in the way he seems to regard human morality as being superior above all others.

@chocolatechip More so than any other human Starfleet officer?

@papayalily

Yes. Picard really flaunted it.

For example, sure, slavery is considered immoral on Earth, but he has no idea how alien-of-the-week’s social and political histories have crafted their moral structure.

ACTUALLY, @Minute_And_A_Huff, I was trying—and failed apparently—to be funny. A huge Sci-Fi fan, I’ve been a StarTrek fan since the first episode of the original series.

In fact, I had a short story published in a sci-fi mag in which Picard meets Kirk years before the idea turned up in a movie.

@Austinlad Oh. Cool.

Picard, Picard, Picard. Blah, blah, blah…
There is really only one captain of the USS Enterprise. And that captain is James T. Kirk. Hell, he’s fathered half the galaxy. I figure the man had to have had at least six balls.

I wonder if this should apply to our planet right now…where post nuclear countries have to leave pre nuclear countries alone

@talljasperman But if they didn’t, what would we do – nuke them?

@papayalily stop exporting porn to there countries if they don’t agree… give it a week and we’ will see who caves first

@talljasperman But can’t they torrent it like the rest of America?

@papayalily just put some bad Betty White porn in with the torrents so only the accepted can get the Betty White blocker

@talljasperman Yes, I’m sure denis.stalker and opentorrent would be happy to oblige.

@papayalily o.k. you contact them… and I’ll convince Betty White to pose

Damn replicator. Ahem…