We also never see anyone who's incompetent by the standards of their time: someone who through some physical or mental deficiency is incapable of doing anything productive with their life. Everyone is either high-ranking military/government official or their close relatives, or someone of comparable rank in the civilian world. And we are left judging their society based purely on observations of how they live and how they say the less capable live.
But how does someone who (eg.) works on one of the Federation mining colonies actually live? How comfortable is their life? For that matter, how does someone come to find their way on a Federation mining colony? Is it all prisoners? Do people chose that life? Is there some amount of coercion or social pressure placed upon certain individuals do do that work? Does society grant them some particular reward for doing it?
"We are perfect society. No criminals, no political opposition, no racism, no more religions. Everyone have everting dey need. Much better than you backward countries. All good citizens have power on Tuesdays. We only have good citizens."
We also never see anyone who's incompetent by the standards of their time: someone who through some physical or mental deficiency is incapable of doing anything productive with their life. Everyone is either high-ranking military/government official or their close relatives, or someone of comparable rank in the civilian world. And we are left judging their society based purely on observations of how they live and how they say the less capable live.
But how does someone who (eg.) works on one of the Federation mining colonies actually live? How comfortable is their life? For that matter, how does someone come to find their way on a Federation mining colony? Is it all prisoners? Do people chose that life? Is there some amount of coercion or social pressure placed upon certain individuals do do that work? Does society grant them some particular reward for doing it?
Like judging China based only on it's airports and the life of one of it's naval captains.
Or North Korea based on what the government-approved tour guide shows and tells you, yes.
"We are perfect society. No criminals, no political opposition, no racism, no more religions. Everyone have everting dey need. Much better than you backward countries. All good citizens have power on Tuesdays. We only have good citizens."
Yup sounds about right.