Star Trek's warning against collectivist tyranny

The Borg present a great metaphor for warning against creeping authoritarian socialism on the far left

[First, an intro]: Today’s post is on politics as there’s a creeping trend of authoritarian left growing around the globe (even in Canada of all places) and I think it’s important enough to comment on. We all know the line of when the right goes to far. It’s obvious, and people’s spider sense tingles when we get close. That’s good. But the far left is equally insidious and with many of the events happening right now, it’s clear the far or authoritarian left is rearing its ugly head. And, I don’t think modern society is well-calibrated to know when the left has gone too far for a myriad of reasons.

Below is an illustrative comic that many of my sober friends on the left are starting to understand. If you’re a Jewish person witnessing what’s happening in the world, it’s all very clear to you. If helpful for readers: I do not personally identify with or endorse any political parties at this juncture (I feel somewhat politically homeless here, but of course stand strongly on team America and Western values). And unlike the people embattled within various tribes am friends with those everywhere on the non-extreme parts of the spectrum (sane humans).

Good web comic on how the far left have moved the Overton window of normal political views. In reality most people are fairly centrist, we just amplify the loud/crazy voices, and some of them are even in positions of power.

Reasonable liberals everywhere should be pushing back against this if they hope to maintain the sanity of their party (of note: sanity is finally being restored to corporate America). My friend Brianna sums up the above graph pretty well below (and here too).

Anyway, I thought an analogy of why we should be concerned my nerd friends would easily understand is The Borg from Star Trek. They represent a metaphor for what authoritarian far left state control might look like (with a technocratic flavor, on brand for modernity). In a Borg world, you will own nothing and you will be happy.

I think sci-fi examples from an exotic time and place present a useful thought exercise, as they’re removed from the many situations ongoing here on current Earth. Meaning, it’s difficult to read them and get too heated or upset (common on political topics) and gives us room to consider things dispassionately. I won’t be giving Earth examples today you can spot these yourself. [/intro]

With the intro out of the way, let’s dive in…

The interior of a Borg Cube: quite literally, you will live in a pod, you will be assimilated into the collective

In the vast expanse of the Star Trek universe, one of my personal favorites, the most dangerous adversary faced by the United Federation of Planets (Earth, Terrans, the good guys) is by far the Borg. If you’ve never seen an episode of Star Trek, these cybernetic beings, driven by the singular goal of assimilating all other forms of life into their collective consciousness against their will, actually serve as a cautionary tale against the dangers of communism and authoritarian socialism (sorry kids, they’re the same). They were quite literally referred to as “The Borg Collective” during the show, it’s right in the name. If you need a 101 on The Borg, here’s a quick video intro. Despite sometimes having a queen or voice to speak for them, they are collectivists who demand a submission of your individuality and personal autonomy when they assimilate you. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

Captain Jean-Luc Picard, the captain of the USS Enterprise in Star Trek: The Next Generation, often serves as the voice of reason and enlightenment in the face of the Borg threat. His encounters with the Borg (and subsequent freeing by his colleagues) provide a great example on the dangers inherent in ideologies that prioritize the collective over individuality and freedom.

Picard was once assimilated by The Borg, even going so far as to being forced to become a mouthpiece of a tyrannical group.

In the episode Best of Both Worlds, Captain Picard is forcibly assimilated into the Borg collective, becoming Locutus of Borg. In a haunting scene, he chillingly declares, "I am Locutus of Borg. Resistance is futile. Your life, as it has been, is over. From this time forward, you will service us." This line echoes the sentiments of authoritarian regimes throughout history, which seek to subjugate individuals to serve the state and shed their individuality and personal autonomy. Picard, once assimilated is forced to parrot the party line.

The Borg's relentless pursuit of assimilation mirrors the totalitarian nature of communist regimes, where dissent and individuality are taken away in favor of conformity to the collective ideology. Just as the Borg assimilate other species into their hive mind, communist regimes seek to assimilate diverse cultures and beliefs into a homogeneous state-controlled system. Dissidents are quickly stamped out or locked away if assimilation is not possible. The longhouse demands full control.

In the movie Star Trek: First Contact, the threat of the Borg resurfaces as they attempt to alter history by preventing humanity's first contact with an alien species, the Vulcans. This plotline serves as a metaphor for the Borg's desire to control the course of history and impose their will upon other civilizations—a hallmark of authoritarian regimes that seek to rewrite the past to serve their own interests. That’s also happening now in many places around the world: fights to remove or control what history is taught or what materials citizens are allowed to reference and have access to. Any remaining narratives are warped through ideological lens to serve the cause.

“Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right.”

― George Orwell, 1984

DS9, the only Star Trek series where they mostly didn’t actually trek anywhere

Even in the series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the specter of the Borg remains. In the episode Emissary, Commander Benjamin Sisko reflects on the devastation caused by the Borg at the Battle of Wolf 359, where his wife was killed. This serves as a reminder of the human cost of totalitarian aggression and the importance of defending individual freedom against such threats. The writer’s of Star Trek knew to put this threat in the back of mind of the show’s characters, as fighting authoritarian control should be something we remain vigilant about.

Voyager fighting the Borg Collective during Voyager

In Star Trek: Voyager, the crew finds themselves stranded in the distant Delta Quadrant, where they engage the Borg on numerous occasions. One notable encounter occurs in the two-part episode Scorpion, where Captain Janeway is faced with a difficult decision regarding an alliance with the Borg to combat a greater threat, Species 8472. This dilemma highlights the moral complexities of engaging with authoritarian entities for temporary gain, as Janeway grapples with the risk of sacrificing her crew's principles in exchange for survival. Ultimately, the crew's unwavering commitment to individual autonomy and ethical conduct prevails, serving as a testament to the importance of upholding democratic values even in the most dire circumstances. Through Voyager's encounters with the Borg, viewers are reminded that the fight for freedom and individuality is not limited to the confines of familiar territory—it is a universal struggle that transcends time and space.

Wrapping up…

Through its portrayal of the Borg, Star Trek serves as a pretty on the nose warning against the dangers of far left authoritarians (of note, the Romulans or Cardassians would present a good analogy for warnings against the far right, might make a fun future post). Captain Picard's words in-particular while fighting the Borg (pre and post-assimilation) always resonate with me as a rallying cry for the preservation of individual liberty in the face of collective tyranny. And look, it’s easy to brush these things away as “just crazy people” but many of them are actually in power now.

Remember: resistance is not futile, at least not yet.