In "I, Borg", did Picard..

[Stelfan 0]

I just rewatched "I, Borg" last night, it is a truly great episode that also deals with many moral problems. What are your opinions on the choice that Picard made to release Hugh without taking advantage of him? Perhaps he should have ignored Hughs personal rights as a sentient being and used him to destroy the Borg, who are indeed a very dangerous enemy..?

[Mr.Picard 12]

I think Jean-Luc made the right choice. Let me explain why (I know, many people will disagree with me).

 

Sending Hugh back to the Borg with that "virus" might have wiped out an entire species. Yes, the Borg are dangerous and a threat to the whole alpha quadrant. But, who defines which species is evil and which not? The Borg are "only" trying to "improve" themselves - from their point of view WE are evil. That is why we should not claim to be the judges of which species has to be wiped out and which not. That's one reason why Jean-Luc was right not to send Hugh back with the virus. The other reason is that Hugh was beginning to develop individuality. He was an individuum with wishes and plans (he wanted to stay with Geordi before he realized this wasn't possible). And sending him back with the virus would most likely have killed him, too. This is not what Starfleet was founded for.

 

 

 

 

 

Mrs. Captain Picard

[Takara_Soong 4]

I think Picard made the only decision he could. If anything it was La Forge and Crusher who messed up. If they had treated Hugh like he was Borg and not an individual there wouldn't have been a problem.

 

Hindsight is of course 20/20 and we later discovered that Hugh's individuality didn't affect the collective. It only allowed a certain android to become even more misunderstood than he already was in Descent. (I have a problem saying the "e" word about Lore LOL)

 

With the number of lives lost to the Borg, it certainly would have been easy for Picard to send the virus back with Hugh but as we know taking the easy way is not alway the right way.

[stoned_vulcan 0]

okay first off i DO NOT think picard made the right decision... secondly

Yes, the Borg are dangerous and a threat to the whole alpha quadrant.

 

they are more than a threat to the alpha quadrent.. they are a threat to the delta, gamma, and beta quadrents..

 

But, who defines which species is evil and which not?

well first of all no one called them evil, they are a threat, but if you insist they are evil then look at FC... or the best of both worlds... trying to assimilate Earth and the whole federation... they are a threat to humanity, they attack us, dont we have the right to attack them? dont we have the chance to defend ourselves? the borg are a threat to humanity Picard should have destroyed them all when he had the chance!!!!

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

I just rewatched "I, Borg" last night, it is a truly great episode that also deals with many moral problems. What are your opinions on the choice that Picard made to release Hugh without taking advantage of him? Perhaps he should have ignored Hughs personal rights as a sentient being and used him to destroy the Borg, who are indeed a very dangerous enemy..?

If Picard had ignored Hugh's personal rights, he'd be no better than the Borg who ignored his personal rights in "The Best of Both Worlds".

 

Oh, and another thing. The Borg have assimilated thousands of species. If Picard sent Hugh back to the Borg with the paradox-puzzle thing, he'd be committing genocide not just on the Borg, but on every species they've assimilated. I think it might have been easier had Hugh remained a drone and the "destruction" would only be localised to his cube.

Edited March 18, 2004 by Captain Jean-Luc Picard

[Takara_Soong 4]

Oh, and another thing.  The Borg have assimilated thousands of species.  If Picard sent Hugh back to the Borg with the paradox-puzzle thing, he'd be committing genocide not just on the Borg, but on every species they've assimilated.

I disagree with your there CJLP. If you want to use the term genocide, the Borg would be the only ones who committed that. Once someone was assimilated they were Borg and nothing else. All that was left was the DNA that wasn't affected by the nanoprobes.

 

To say Picard would be responsible would be like saying harming "Person A" made you responsible for harming anyone "Person A" had harmed previously.

[stoned_vulcan 0]

Oh, and another thing. The Borg have assimilated thousands of species. If Picard sent Hugh back to the Borg with the paradox-puzzle thing, he'd be committing genocide not just on the Borg, but on every species they've assimilated

 

I agree with Takara but just would like to add something, the borg have destroyed civilizations, once they are assimilated they are no longer, human, klingon or romulan they are borg plain and simple..

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

Oh, and another thing.  The Borg have assimilated thousands of species.  If Picard sent Hugh back to the Borg with the paradox-puzzle thing, he'd be committing genocide not just on the Borg, but on every species they've assimilated.

I disagree with your there CJLP. If you want to use the term genocide, the Borg would be the only ones who committed that. Once someone was assimilated they were Borg and nothing else. All that was left was the DNA that wasn't affected by the nanoprobes.

Then explain Seven of Nine. If she can become an individual again, they so can all Borg drones.

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

Oh, and another thing. The Borg have assimilated thousands of species. If Picard sent Hugh back to the Borg with the paradox-puzzle thing, he'd be committing genocide not just on the Borg, but on every species they've assimilated

 

I agree with Takara but just would like to add something, the borg have destroyed civilizations, once they are assimilated they are no longer, human, klingon or romulan they are borg plain and simple..

Oh? What about Seven of Nine, Captain Picard, and the Borg rebellion, hmm?

[stoned_vulcan 0]

as with every rule there are exceptions.. 7of9 was left behind and forced to be taken back.. and picard well he was taken back because he wasnt really borg at heart was he? ... and the borg rebellion.. do you mean the one with lore or the one with unimatrix 0?

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

as with every rule there are exceptions.. 7of9 was left behind and forced to be taken back.. and picard well he was taken back because he wasnt really borg at heart was he? ... and the borg rebellion.. do you mean the one with lore or the one with unimatrix 0?

The Borg rebellion with Unimatrix Zero. My point is, burried under all that Borg technology and collective thinking are sentient beings. To commit genocide on the Borg would be commiting genocide on innocent cultures. It's one thing to destroy a ship or kill a drone in self defense, but genocide is murder to me.

[Admiral Kirk 1]

In the beginning I thought the Admiral was right for dressing Picard down for helping Hue. They were at war with th Borg which is a merciless enemy with which negotiation is not an optinon. Later I came to realize that Picard's decision was botht right and wrong in a way. Hue demonstrated that the Borg could function individually and could be capable of frienship. This was a big learning lesson for Picard. Of course his helping Hue caused the whole Descent situation.

[stoned_vulcan 0]

The Borg rebellion with Unimatrix Zero. My point is, burried under all that Borg technology and collective thinking are sentient beings. To commit genocide on the Borg would be commiting genocide on innocent cultures. It's one thing to destroy a ship or kill a drone in self defense, but genocide is murder to me.

What are the borg, but not otherbeings by our definition while they are assimilated they are borg, and it is in self defense.. look what happened in FC if they never did that then there woodnt b a problem (or a good movie but thats beside the point)

[Danny 0]

I think it was silly to not use the virus. Stelfan I agree with everything you say but the reality of nature is survival of the fittest. The Borg will attempt to destroy the federation no matter what. If you choose to be destroyed because morality didn't let you kill your enemy what good is that? Picard is sworn to protect federation citizens no matter what. If his concience gets in the way of his sowrn duty he needs to step down as captain.

 

I think that's why Admiral Netchev always hated Picard. I would have to agree with her.

Edited March 19, 2004 by Danny

[Stelfan 0]

I think it was silly to not use the virus. Stelfan I agree with everything you say but the reality of nature is survival of the fittest. The Borg will attempt to destroy the federation no matter what. If you choose to be destroyed because morality didn't let you kill your enemy what good is that? Picard is sworn to protect federation citizens no matter what. If his concience gets in the way of his sowrn duty he needs to step down as captain.

 

I think that's why Admiral Netchev always hated Picard. I would have to agree with her.

Actually, I hadn't really made up my mind on the subject when I posted the topic, sorry if that wasn't clear. :) I wanted to hear some other peoples opinions first.

 

But I must say that my original thought hasn't changed, Picard did the right thing when he released Hugh, he was a sentient being and that must be respected. I also agree with CJLP that it is one thing to destroy a cube or kill a Borg in self defense, annihilating them is something totally different..

[HRH The KING 0]

I agreed with the Admiral. I think Picard's personal moral discomfort with the siuation was selfish. The Borg had made it clear that they could not be reasoned or pleaded with. Destroying them would have simply been a matter of survival for humanity and every other race that were threatened by the Borg.

 

But then again, destroying them would have eliminated one of the best villain races ever seen in Trek

 

:) :) :)