Shows
Shhhhhh The Trekkies are TalkingCybermen The episode explores the themes of technology, body modification, and the concept of self. The participants discuss the history of technology in literature and media, such as the Cybermen and the Borg. We also touch on the idea of choice in body modification and the implications of affirming someone's self-perception. Our conversation raises questions about the future of human evolution and the potential impact of technology on society. We explore the dilemma of movements and how they start out as innovative and liberating but eventually become regimented and oppressive. Our discussion touches on the fear of uniformity and the...2024-05-221h 01
Shhhhhh The Trekkies are TalkingSpaceman and Primordial SpidersIn this episode we talked about Spaceman, the movie. We explores the fear and cultural perception of spiders, as well as personal experiences and beliefs about them. The symbolism of the spider as a weaver and un-weaver, and its connection to the self and creation, is discussed. The spider is seen as a representation of loneliness and vulnerability, and the journey of confronting and embracing the shadow self is explored. The blurring of reality and fantasy, as well as the exploration of other spider stories, adds depth to the conversation. The themes of separation and doomed love are also...2024-05-2250 min
Shhhhhh The Trekkies are TalkingS1E4: The Borg QueenSummary In this conversation, we discuss the film 'Spaceman: No Way Home' and explore themes of reality, perception, and symbolism. We also delve into the portrayal of alienation and the profound impact of the film. The conversation then shifts to the challenges of finding good films and the fascination with actress Isabella Rossellini. We analyze the character of the Borg Queen in 'Star Trek: First Contact' and discuss the reversal of assimilation. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the hive mind and the origin of events. The conversation explores the banal beginning and ongoing nature of...2024-03-131h 05
Shhhhhh The Trekkies are TalkingBugs, Superorganisms, and Starship TroopersSummaryIn this bonus episode, The Trekkies discuss the themes of bugs, propaganda, and hive mind in the movie Starship Troopers. We explore the insect-like societies depicted in the film and how they reflect real-life insect behaviour. The Trekkies also delve into the symbolism and propaganda used in the movie, drawing parallels to historical events and the power of uniforms and symbols in creating a sense of unity. We discuss the challenges of creating a hive mind in different societies, including Canada and the United States. Overall, our conversation highlights a fascination with hive mind concepts and...2024-02-291h 12
Shhhhhh The Trekkies are TalkingBonus Episode: All About AntsThis is an unplanned episode, a bonus episode! Lee is reading E. O. Wilson's work on the sociobiology of ants and he couldn't help noticing that the Borg are essential ants, the function like a hive - the Borg function like a super organism. In this episode we have a discussion about eusociality, how humans are wired for co-operation, and how, unlike the Borg or ants or bees, humans have a social brain, we have "an ethics programnme" and that impacts the way we behave as individuals in a collective.Show Notes2024-02-2152 min
Shhhhhh The Trekkies are TalkingS1E3: Social Contagion + IndoctrinationIt’s said that a lie can travel half way around the world before the truth has a chance to even tie its shoes. How fast can an idea travel? Why do terrible ideas travel so quickly? Data seemed prepared to kill his best friend. Lore engaged the emotion chip and suppressed the ethics program. The Borg captured Picard and turned him into a drone, the programmed him to service The Collective, to the extent that he would have destroyed his own crew in combat. What if we could see human indoctrination like this. What if we could see in...2024-02-1656 min
Shhhhhh The Trekkies are TalkingS1E2: How Much Control Do We Have? Agency + Free WillBorg Drones have no agency or free will, they serve The Collective and they become absorbed into it once they can no longer function as a working unit. A Borg Drone has no value as an individual. The concept of agency seems irrelevant to the Borg. Does an increasingly digitized society feel like The Collective? How much control do we have, really, in modern society? What is Free Will? What is Agency? Would we rather become emotionless cybernetic entities that move from location to location extracting the resources we need to service ourselves — incentivized by the algorithm? Do we st...2024-02-051h 08
Shhhhhh The Trekkies are TalkingS1E1: Balancing Individuality versus Hive MindPilot episode: A conversation with Lee Weissman aka Jihadi Jew about “I versus We”. Ayn Rand explored it in 1938 in her book Anthem, Roddenberry + Hurley explore it with the Borg. Was Hugh’s existence improved by learning about individuality and by learning that his culture did not allow for such a thing? What does that mean even? We are social creatures and also individuals — we need both I and We. How do we balance individuality versus the hive mind? What does the STTNG Borg Canon tell us about how to answer this question and address the issue of individuality, ie the g...2024-01-071h 33