Like why would someone pay for a drink at Quark’s when every residence on DS9 has a replicator?

Because the scarce resource at Quark’s isn’t the food or drinks, it’s the atmosphere and the experience, i.e things the replicator cannot provide. Quark controls the holodecks too, but even if he didn’t the scarce resource would be authentic (not replicated) food and experiences. It’s been shown pretty regularly on the shows that some people prefer non-replicated food, non-synthohol drinks, and real people. It doesn’t really matter in that context if those are technically indistinguishable from the real thing (but even in canon there is a measureable difference between them and some things the replicators can’t do).

I don’t really believe there could ever be a post-scarcity world in which we don’t create new scarcities to demand.

Hot take: The Expanse (mostly referring to the books here) handled a post-scarcity technocracy much more believably.

Now you’re just dodging the question.

It’s a science fiction situational comedy. How could it possibly avoid being contrived? All sitcoms are contrived. All scifi is contrived.

Oh, so you’re just trolling then, because I was answering honestly and you were asking in bad faith to be a troll.

The Stonewall riots is a good place to start your history studies on the matter.

I enthusiastically disagree. Lower Decks needs to boldly go and jump the shark more than traveling back in time to save a whale or talking to an old microwave that became a god.

We’re you living in Japan in the 90s?

That’s still 2 dimensions.

Wow, this is possibly the most insightful comment I have ever gotten as a reply. Thank you.

I’m much more familiar with Niven’s Known Space books, so it’s interesting to see actual depiction of Kzin. Makes me want to see other Niven aliens like Pierson’s Puppeteers, Pak Protectors, and Gw’oth on the screen even more.

Wait, so the cat person in Lower Decks is not a Kzinti? Also, I feel it’s worth noting that the Kzinti are from Larry Niven’s Known Space universe (because he wrote those episodes for TAS). I feel like it’s about time some federation ship stumbled into that alternate Universe.

Tuvok is just your typical Rick Berman male that has bottled up his emotions so long he’s convinced himself that he doesn’t have any until he’s nearly killed by his own unfulfilled lust.

Vulcans don’t lack emotions. They’ve found ways to disassociate their actions and reactions from their emotions (with some pretty serious side effects). Also, Spock is half human.

How do you screw up boxed stuffing so badly? They’re not gourmet obviously, but they’re also about as complicated as store bought ramen.

They’re scientists that are exploring. You can’t see the forest for the trees when you’re barreling down a trail at 15-30kmh. You’re going to see a lot more hiking methodically through kilometers of new alien landscape than you would on a bike. If they want more range or speed they can shuttle, transport, or send a drone. When I explore a new city these days, I take a smart device and a wallet wearing my contemporary version space PJs, jeans and a T-shirt; either walking, ubering, or public transporting where I need to go. I’d miss a lot of interesting stuff by biking because my focus would be on biking, and less on the landscape around me.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NeSz2gW8IsE This video sums it up pretty well.

Competent admirals don’t make for exciting stories though. We don’t see toilets often in TV either, not because they don’t exist, but because we only see toilets when they relate to the story. Admirals in Star Trek are like Chekhov’s gun, we don’t see them unless they’re necessary for the story. Boring competent level headed not traitorous Admirals are just rarely necessary for good story telling unless they happen to be the protagonist dealing with drama elsewhere.

Might as well be asking, “Which is better, Cheers or Frasier?”

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