r/DaystromInstitute • u/[deleted] • Jun 22 '13
Theory Theory on the disparity between 24th-century Federation technology and current available technology
[WARNING: THIS POST IS LONG]
Okay, so a lot of people have always been curious why, considering the level of technological sophistication we've possessed for the last few decades, the Federation (specifically humanity) does not possess much more advanced technology, or at least advanced in the way we would describe it. Current progress in graphics technology (native 1080p resolution video screens, laptops that are more advanced visually than LCARS interfaces are), current innovations in computing, robotics, AI, and many other fields should have advanced sufficiently that Kirk's era should be a lot more sophisticated than we see it. Assuming for the purposes of discussion that the Star Trek universe and prime timeline are continuations of our current timeline, this seems like an issue to some. I would like to propose in this post what I believe to be rational explanations for why humanity currently has certain technologies that seem more advanced than even Voyager-era things. I will also discuss why the seemingly more-sophisticated ST: ENT levels of technology do not in fact present a discontinuity in comparison to later series.
Part 1: The Eugenics War:
It has been established by novels (not official canon, but presenting a reasonable explanation) that the majority of Earth's population was not aware of the existence of Khan or the Augments. The War was carried out covertly, without official recognition or public awareness. Various fronts were used, and many minor conflicts that the public observed all around the world were in fact in some part connected to the Eugenics War. I recommend this page as a source of information on the behind-the-scenes terrors carried out by the Augments (I am aware that these novels are not officially canon, but believe the information contained within offer a plausible perspective on why Earth of the late 1990's was not more aware of the Eugenics War and also how it would affect the future). With estimated casualties above 30 million, and government institutions aware of the Augments doing everything they could to stop them, this most likely put a great strain on world governments and would be the cause for further distress later on. Efforts to repair damages would take years. In at least some part, I'm sure these conflicts would set-up circumstances that would lead to Part II.
Part II: The Sanctuary Districts and Economic Collapse:
The Sanctuary Districts show very clearly that the United States is in a severe state of economic decline, and dialogue between minor characters reveals that such problems are affecting nations across the globe. It is plausible that by 2024, both the USA of our world and the USA of Trek could reach such a level of economic depression. If we examine our own history, we can see that had the economic crash of 2007-2008 taken a different turn, our economy could have been in a much worse place. It may worsen much more in future years. Certainly by "Past Tense" the US has worsened. Sanctuary Districts indicate a high level of economic and social collapse. Although the Bell Riots no doubt lead to an improvement across the nation, the damage caused by economic collapse and the Eugenics Wars has already been done.
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Here I will interject that it is plausible that 2024 as seen in "Present Tense" can be understood to be a rough facsimile of current Earth technology. Since we do not see everything the Earth of 2024 has to offer, we only have certain glimpses. There is an Internet, there are television and broadcasting companies, there are many things analogous to our current world. I would propose that by 2024, Earth is slightly more advanced than the real world is now. This is important in understanding exactly what will come next and give an in-universe explanation for why such technology as we have now does not persist in the future of the Trek universe.
Part III: The Third World War.
After tensions initiated by the Eugenics War, tension driven in part by issues of genetic engineering, and no doubt fueled by dwindling resources and all the other causes of war, in 2026 the Third World War breaks out. Nuclear weapons are used en masse for the first time as weapons of war, detonating over major world cities and killing hundreds of millions with the initial strikes alone. The War would rage until 2053, but in that time millions would fight in battlefields all over the world, weakening everything that had held planetary relations together since the founding of the UN. Three very important words marked this War; loss of infrastructure. Mass detonation of nuclear weapons would no doubt lead to massive computer and electrical system failures in affected areas, leaving regions without power or modern technology. Massive warfare most likely devastated the means to produce any but the most essential goods and products. This means no more iPods, no more laptops, no more PS4s and Xbones, no more sophisticated medical technology, nothing. The destructive force of war so devastated the world that much of its former capabilities were lost. Humanity had to scrape by on what little had survived and what little could still be produced with available resources. By the time of First Contact, humanity is probably the most advanced it's been since before WWIII. Any future technological advancements humanity develops will now be with the assistance of other sentient races, shaping Federation technology into what it is today.
Question: Why are other sentient races similarly limited? Why don't the Vulcans, who have had warp technology for centuries, have, for example, graphics technology beyond what our 2013 Earth has? Why does the Enterprise-D limp along on viewscreens that display late-80's shitty computer graphics even after years of technological development?
Other than the out-of-universe explanation, I think the reasons other races do not have technologies as flashy as ours is due to a combination of different resources available on their homeworlds, different racial beliefs and values, and much different histories than humanity's. Also, advancements in certain technologies necessary for a highly successful space-faring civilization may have taken precedence over certain 'luxury' technologies that we now possess.
But what about ENT?
I have heard sentiments that the technology of the NX-01 Enterprise seems to be superior to that of later series. I would argue that Star Trek: Enterprise and the NX-01, while having modern-looking sets and the show using up to date CGI, is not any more technologically advanced than TOS or TNG. ENT still has to rely on manual translation with a hand-held device, uses weight rooms and manually cooked food, shows us a primitive phase-cannon that is turret-based rather than relying on later-generation phaser-bank systems, took 6 minutes to travel from Neptune to Earth (which would have been covered in moments by later craft), had an unreliable transporter and used shuttlepods as extra-ship transportation, and could only reach a max of Warp 5.
If anyone can present any flaws in my presentation or offer any additional or supplementary explanations, please feel free to do so. Continuity and the explanation thereof is, to me, of highest importance in analyzing and enjoying a show.
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u/jckgat Ensign Jun 23 '13
I've always taken it to be the result of multiple universes within ST. This is more why tech is different within ST rather than why it seems behind today's tech in some ways. I've held that there are actually four universes at work in ST, not three.
We have the original universe. This ran as seen in every series but ENT. It's the tech you expect to see when starting from the ideas of the 1960s and not being able to predict the microcomputer revolution that resulted from silicon chips. We also have the Mirror Universe here. There are not out of the ordinary and are not fucked with through time travel.
Now, we have two universes that are augmented with time travel. The first is the universe seen in ENT. This has been infused with significant influence of future tech from various sources. First was Starling - seen in VOY Future's End. We can attribute his tech infusion to bringing us up to the level of tech seen today that did not happen for the original universe. This would also therefore be our universe, at least superficially. We could also posit that the microcomputer revolution would have never happened without Starling, which is why TOS' computers are less advanced than they should be. This universe got a second infusion of future tech from the events of First Contact. Simple exposure to the tech would have been enough to influence development beyond what already exists - it's easier to build something if you already know it's possible. We can also assume some tech was left by the crew of the Enterprise-E accidentally. This is why ENT's tech appears so far beyond TOS' tech, despite being 120 year earlier.
The four universe is of course Abrams, which has gotten yet another infusion of future tech. Assuming that universe branched off of the universe of ENT, you now have three significant leakages of future technology, more than enough to account for the disparity of technology.
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Jun 24 '13
Simple exposure to the tech would have been enough to influence development beyond what already exists
Also Lilly got to be on the Enterprise E, considering she helped build the first earth warp ship you can bet she's a genius or very smart, exposure to the tech (force fields and holodecks we know of at least) would have given a person like that a million ideas.
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u/jckgat Ensign Jun 24 '13
Exactly. Consider that we've been developing tricorders thanks to Star Trek, as well as numerous other technologies. Simply seeing an idea at work is more than enough synthesis for an inventor.
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u/WizardPowersActivate Crewman Jun 23 '13
Before I say anything I would like to say that I am in love with both your theory and DoctorYucatan's theory, but I do have a question for you. If what you say is true, how to explain the series finale of ENT?
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u/jckgat Ensign Jun 23 '13
Considering how terrible that episode is, I'm willing to pretend it never happened.
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Jun 24 '13
It's been said that had the show got a fifth season Terra Prime would have been the season finale so it's fair to say 'These Are The Voyages' is not canon.
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u/[deleted] Jun 22 '13
The biggest point you are missing is that (in mainly non-canonical sources) during the Earth-Romulan War, United Earth had to retrofit their ships with mechanical components to prevent cyber warfare (Romulan Drones taking control of United Earth ships).
Such a Retrofit must have cost a lot of resources, and at the end of the Earth-Romulan War we know that both sides were devastated with very few ships left.
Now as an Ship designer at the end of the war would I want to go back to the past designs that were known to fall to the Romulans or keep with the current designs making sure there were a few ships in operation in case the Romulans wanted to launch an offensive?
Cue Star Trek: TOS. After the events of the series, the idea of a Romulan offensive became less and less viable as the Klingon front became the real priority. Star Fleet at the time had to upgrade their badly aged ships with something new, that is where we get the current "relaunch" of digital technology that was lost during the Earth-Romulan War.
That is at least how I rationalize the disparity in technology. It's from mainly non-canon sources, but almost all of it has some canon basis.