The Geordi/Data one does kinda bring up a good point though. Data is a graduate of Starfleet Academy, put in his time and rose up the ranks to the point of being the 2nd officer and CSO of the flagship. Yet the first episode of the series he’s shown to be naive to most human interactions, most basic idioms and turns of phrase.
This had been posted a few times on r/DI, but a good working theory is that at the academy he never tried to fit in or make friends and simply did the work. In all his postings he never attempted to go above and beyond, but just did his job and what was expected of him, and some of his promotions may have been simply *you’ve been an ensign for 4 years, so you kinda have to get promoted now. It was Picard who saw his uniqueness and potential, and pushed Data to think for himself to help him grow, and as such the other exceptional crew members on the flagship actually took the time to get to know him and become his friend.
Maybe the academy is just a terrible educational institution. Basically all we see of it is weird mind games, like simulated terrorist attacks and tests you automatically fail… Maybe Picard thought of the gardener as a mentor because he was the only adult there not fucking with him.
all we see of it is weird mind games, like simulated terrorist attacks and tests you automatically fail
I can definitely see how those things are extremely useful. Not everyone is going to be within the relatively save confines of ESD or stationed on a core planet. You’re out in unexplored space on your own with no backup and will encounter some of the most absurdly effed-up races/beings/giant green space hands.
The Geordi/Data one does kinda bring up a good point though. Data is a graduate of Starfleet Academy, put in his time and rose up the ranks to the point of being the 2nd officer and CSO of the flagship. Yet the first episode of the series he’s shown to be naive to most human interactions, most basic idioms and turns of phrase.
This had been posted a few times on r/DI, but a good working theory is that at the academy he never tried to fit in or make friends and simply did the work. In all his postings he never attempted to go above and beyond, but just did his job and what was expected of him, and some of his promotions may have been simply *you’ve been an ensign for 4 years, so you kinda have to get promoted now. It was Picard who saw his uniqueness and potential, and pushed Data to think for himself to help him grow, and as such the other exceptional crew members on the flagship actually took the time to get to know him and become his friend.
But I’d love to hear other theories!
Maybe the academy is just a terrible educational institution. Basically all we see of it is weird mind games, like simulated terrorist attacks and tests you automatically fail… Maybe Picard thought of the gardener as a mentor because he was the only adult there not fucking with him.
I can definitely see how those things are extremely useful. Not everyone is going to be within the relatively save confines of ESD or stationed on a core planet. You’re out in unexplored space on your own with no backup and will encounter some of the most absurdly effed-up races/beings/giant green space hands.
It’s Picard and arguably LaForge, who saw his potential.
But don’t let Kim hear about those promotions!