Tapestry Ending Insults Ordinary People

[DonIago]

Q did seem to make it clear that LTJG Picard had no significant future ahead of him either. IIRC he refers to said Picard in the past tense, suggesting his future is a foregone conclusion. And our Picard has no reason to disagree with that assessment.

I don't get this...I mean, if we think Picard's initial reactions to being Kamin (trying to contact the E, etc.) are realistic, than why is it any less realistic that upon finding his new life in "Tapestry" unacceptable (at least initially), Picard would first react in exactly the same way?

 

[at Quark's]

^Perhaps in the 24th century, career opportunities still depend upon age (as they do very much in my country, older personnel often isn't hired)? Even with his captain's personality (but with his LTJG past), perhaps his window of opportunity (in Starfleet as an active officer) has past, now that he's in his mid-60's and still a LTJG?

Though I agree that idea wouldn't mesh well with the idea that people live to be 140, and money 'went the way of the dinosaur'.

 

[sbk1234]

speaking as one of the most ordinary people you'll ever meet, I don't think Picard's problem was being "ordinary." I think it simply boiled down to the fact that it was not HIS life. Better to die the man you are than live the man you aren't.

 

[Nyotarules]

Picard LTJG should have quit and returned to his winery, if you live to 140 then you probably don't retire until 100. Better to spend the next 80 years boozing then dying right? lol

 

[Devilpogostick]

Picard LTJG should have quit and returned to his winery, if you live to 140 then you probably don't retire until 100. Better to spend the next 80 years boozing then dying right? lol

Oh jeez, that reminds me of Robert. Makes you wonder how the guy would react knowing his brother came back with not much to show.

 

[DonIago]

Robert was presented as such a complicated person in "Family" (for me, at least) that I imagine he'd feel a great deal of satisfaction in knowing that his arrogant older brother had ultimately amounted to very little, but would also be more than a bit ashamed of himself for feeling that sense of satisfaction.

 

[Nyotarules]

Oh jeez, that reminds me of Robert. Makes you wonder how the guy would react knowing his brother came back with not much to show.

Robert - Well we told you not to leave the farm, little brother

 

[Voth commando1]

There is a undercurrent of elitism in the episode I'll admit. How many lowly science officers are like Picard? Filing reports obeying superiors and hoping for a little holodeck time.

I imagine though given the rigors of Starfleet and how conformist the federation seems to be people in that position probably can't imagine a better life.

Think about it, your a lowly lieutenant like Picard in that timeline. You've worked your rear off and for what? To be a delivery boy/girl? You have no real chance of advancement and not much else to do.

You resent your superiors and you might not necessarily have many or any friends.

Your bored and lonely and spend time either in your quarters of the holodeck off duty.

However you don't dare ask to leave? Why? Being on the Enterprise is a dream come true, they say how could you not like it? What would your superiors think? Well Lieutenant fill in the blank why are you dissatisfied? Do you dare say I'm miserable, see no future for myself here and want out? No that response would either get a negative reaction or they would think your crazy or criminal or something.

I imagine in the federation their are quite a few dissatisfied people like that.

 

[DonIago]

If that's how you feel about your position in Starfleet, why on Earth wouldn't you resign your commission and move on to something more fulfilling?

 

[Nyotarules]

If that's how you feel about your position in Starfleet, why on Earth wouldn't you resign your commission and move on to something more fulfilling?

Because no one is allowed to leave Starfleet, its the best place to work in the Federation! It is Paradise.

 

[Nyotarules]

There is a undercurrent of elitism in the episode I'll admit. How many lowly science officers are like Picard? Filing reports obeying superiors and hoping for a little holodeck time.

I imagine though given the rigors of Starfleet and how conformist the federation seems to be people in that position probably can't imagine a better life.

Think about it, your a lowly lieutenant like Picard in that timeline. You've worked your rear off and for what? To be a delivery boy/girl? You have no real chance of advancement and not much else to do.

You resent your superiors and you might not necessarily have many or any friends.

Your bored and lonely and spend time either in your quarters of the holodeck off duty.

However you don't dare ask to leave? Why? Being on the Enterprise is a dream come true, they say how could you not like it? What would your superiors think? Well Lieutenant fill in the blank why are you dissatisfied? Do you dare say I'm miserable, see no future for myself here and want out? No that response would either get a negative reaction or they would think your crazy or criminal or something.

I imagine in the federation their are quite a few dissatisfied people like that.

If Picard was just a lowly crewman I can understand his frustration. Star Trek TNG gives the impression only the best get into the SFA and Picard had to be part of that elite to get in. Why he got stuck at LTJG for over 30 years, well the thrill of being an officer on the Enterprise might have outweighed his desire to leave.

 

[Voth commando1]

If Picard was just a lowly crewman I can understand his frustration. Star Trek TNG gives the impression only the best get into the SFA and Picard had to part of that elite to get in. Why he got stuck at LTJG for over 30 years, well the thrill of being an officer on the Enterprise might have outweighed his desire to leave.

Only the best they say but how many never advance past Lieutenant? How many like Harry struggle to get above Ensign?

You can't exactly resign if your on a deep space assignment.

I'm saying that Lieutenant Picard might be a sample of other countless officers in the federation that are quite dissatisfied with their lives.

 

[DonIago]

To be fair, Harry was in exceptional circumstances. And also what I can only assume was the butt of a joke by the VOY writers.

 

[Voth commando1]

To be fair, Harry was in exceptional circumstances. And also what I can only assume was the butt of a joke by the VOY writers.

Janeway told him in the episode where Voyager had to land for repairs that there were no positions open and had they been in the Alpha Quadrant he would have been promoted.

Anyway would you think there are a large number of dissatisfied Lieutenant Picard types in Starfleet?

 

[Nyotarules]

In the real military do most officers expect to reach Captain level or whatever the level is in the army and airforce? Or do they perform their ten years and leave?

 

[DonIago]

Janeway told him in the episode where Voyager had to land for repairs that there were no positions open and had they been in the Alpha Quadrant he would have been promoted.

Anyway would you think there are a large number of dissatisfied Lieutenant Picard types in Starfleet?

It's been shown that Starfleet officers can resign their commissions at the drop of a hat. Why would anyone who was dissatisfied with what they were doing stick around at that point?

 

[Voth commando1]

It's been shown that Starfleet officers can resign their commissions at the drop of a hat. Why would anyone who was dissatisfied with what they were doing stick around at that point?

Senior staff maybe, I don't recall on-screen evidence of Joe or Jane Redshirt resigning.

 

[DonIago]

Why would an episode generally show such when the episodes were typically focused on the senior staff to begin with?

We know that transfers could and at least occasionally were requested.

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

Only the best they say but how many never advance past Lieutenant? How many like Harry struggle to get above Ensign?

You can't exactly resign if your on a deep space assignment.

I'm saying that Lieutenant Picard might be a sample of other countless officers in the federation that are quite dissatisfied with their lives.

Haven't been able to find any stats for the USN, but stats for the Army suggest that 25-50% can expect to make it to O6 (depending on whether the % promoted is '% of original' or '% of promotable') within about 20 years of commissioning) and given that the same stats suggest that 90% of Army officers make CAPT/O3 within 4 or 5 years of commissioning, it seems very unlikely that LTJG Picard (with around 40 years of service) could be possible, particularly given that he's still on the E-D (rather than some backwater science project) .

 

[Nyotarules]

Haven't been able to find any stats for the USN, but stats for the Army suggest that 25-50% can expect to make it to O6 (depending on whether the % promoted is '% of original' or '% of promotable') within about 20 years of commissioning) and given that the same stats suggest that 90% of Army officers make CAPT/O3 within 4 or 5 years of commissioning, it seems very unlikely that LTJG Picard (with around 40 years of service) could be possible, particularly given that he's still on the E-D (rather than some backwater science project) .

Maybe he pissed off one of the admirals and only Captain Jellico would take him cos he could get free booze from the Picard vineyard.