Star Trek’s level of medical care is far more advanced than today’s. As Beckett says in LD, “Doc will wave a light over it.” Yet, in Star Trek people aren’t shown doing hobbies and pastimes that are much different from what’s done now. Still, I wonder about differences in a society where people know they won’t be laid up for months for doing or trying something that some folks of today might look at and say, “nope, too dangerous.” Injuries will still hurt, there’s a big difference between say, a broken leg taking months to heal and possibly multiple surgeries, and Star Trek’s healing of a broken leg in a matter of hours.
I’m trying to think of what I’d do differently if I had access to Star Trek level medical care. There are things I want to try, but I look at sideways because of the possible injuries. It’s mild, but one thing I think I’d try again is skating. I injured my knee roller skating at a rink years ago, and that knee is still a problem. That injury left me skittish of skating. If I knew an injury from skating (within reason) could be an easy fix, I would have given it another go.
Is there a pastime you’d be more willing to try, or try again, if Star Trek level medical care was available?
Fuck dangerous hobbies, I’d be able to do whatever I wanted with my career since I wouldn’t rely on heavily subsidized corporate health plans in order to keep my partner alive.
Assuming, of course, that in such a post-scarcity society we wouldn’t still find a way to stratify society and allow only the elite to have access to such things.
In most of the developed world you don’t rely on corporate health care plans 😅
Good point, I’m stuck in the backwater Randian dystopia that is the USA.
I think access to holodecks is a huge factor for that vs. doing a pastime in the real world. Because of what you said about being accessible to all vs. only to certain elites. Also because I wonder about the availability of holodecks for those not on starships or in Starfleet. I don’t remember if that’s mentioned in the various series and movies since they are typically centered around being on a starship. Transport tech is shown as being publicly used on Earth. I’d imagine that there would be holodecks available on Earth (maybe other planets), or at least holosuites like in Quark’s. Access to pastimes in the real world, without using holosuites, might be commonplace. Maybe trying something new in a holodeck/suite where serious injury is less likely before trying it in the real world.
I’ve always wanted to learn skateboard but at 40+ it seemed like a really dumb hobby to start, given that you spend more time falling at first than you do on the board.
Engage holodeck safety protocols.
If you just wanna cruise around its actually pretty safe
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Lower Decks take on what happens in the holodecks tells me they do have some insane hobbies and well extracurricular activities that need clean up afterward.
Honestly, it would just be nice if that kind of tech could rid me of my (at times excruciating) chronic pain.
I’ve reached the point – years ago – where it has become truly debilitating and there are days and longer periods where I can barely perform any physical action. It is frustrating and my quality of life would improve dramatically if I did not have that constantly hindering me in my daily life.
Forget “dangerous” hobbies; I might actually be able to have a social life again and see my friends or go out to see a movie or go shopping!
Assuming that it cost the same as Star Trek medical care, I’d definitely be more open to it.
That said, though, part of the issue is less concern over medical care, but rather more that of having enough time and money. You can’t go around the world trying new things, if you can’t afford to go, or if you can’t get enough leave to be able to do so.
Not really. Maybe if Peter F. Hamilton Commonwealth level of medical technology was available. Star Trek’s doesn’t really seem advanced enough to change my opinion on risking my life for fun.
Well, considering there are still people in wheelchairs in Star Trek, guess I’d still be in one.
I like the inclusion (in the show), but I would hope that paralysis was cured that far in the future.
If people want to try more dangerous stuff, there’s a holodeck with safety for that. So there isn’t much reason to risk more pain and injury than necessary.
Like now, medical care is still just a backup if the normal means of self-preservation fail. You can never be sure if that stunt will end up with a broken leg or neck, and there’s a thin line between those, even for ST-level docs.
But then there are species that will always push to the brink of survivability, like Klingons or Hirogen.
Ed: but specifically for mild things like skating, that’s more about having your past injuries healed so they don’t “remind” you to not do it again. But again with a hoodeck that’s less of a problem.
Nah, dangerous hobbies don’t sound fun. But, with other trek tech, I’d definitely pick up new hobbies. Like solving a mystery in the holodeck. ;)
