Millions donated to help save Enterprise

[Fast Learner]

Yeah. But if you think spending $30 million on a season of Enterprise makes little sense, think about how much Americans spend per day on a mediocre drink like coffee (IIRC, annual retail coffee sales are something over $6.7 billion annually). There's far sillier expenditures to catch your wonder and astonishment.

The silliness level is certainly a matter of perspective, but I say the same thing about those purchases, too.

And to be clear, I'm (a) not saying that people shouldn't spend their money however they want to, and (b) not saying that people are somehow "bad" for not donating their discretionary income. I'm just suggesting that every time you consider donating money to some cause, weigh its value in your mind and heart against other places you could donate to. No big sermon or anything, just suggesting that it's something to consider.

Why are you complaining how others spend/donate their money?

Who are you talking to? I was complaining?

Can Africa handle 1 million more children?

The children are already there. These are children who exist, who play, who sing, who cry, who laugh, and who die horribly of malaria. Can the continent support 1 million more adults? Most certainly, though there's plenty of help needed to make that an easy reality, too.

Lastly, to reiterate, I'm certainly not trying to make anyone spend their money any specific way: y'all should spend it however you want. If you didn't know about, say, the mosquito net issue, though, you're making your decision in ignorance. (Not stupidity, for heaven's sake, just ignorance.) Informed decisions are always better decisions, imo.

 

[Raloc]

Breaking post quarentine for this:

Yeah, the "Star Trek" thing to do would be to give the money to a real charity that needed it rather than try to use it to support a TV show.

Apparently these fans are not asking themselves "What would Picard do?"

Aaron.

Guess you've never seen that episode of Dilbert?

If you think that everyone should donate to charities rather than spend money on material goods, then they should do so with *all* material goods, not just one, or else they'd become hypocritical. It gets ridiculous shortly after that.

 

[jester47]

Spurious logic, there. Picard was frequently seen with a book or music for relaxation. Thus, he recognizes the need for such in one's life. TYhe simple fact fo our world is to get that required relaxation, we need to expend some of our wealth.

Those who are without sin may throw the first stone. Has anyone here donated all their expendable income to charity? Has anyone here not spent any money on something they like as entertainment? If not, don't criticize how others choose to spend their entertainment dollars.

Breaking my friday rule...

My logic is not so spurious. I know Picard. If Picard had 3 million to spend in the 21st Century any way he liked what he would do is invest a little in an old book (most likely indulging in a signed copy of Moby Dick) an MP3 collection of some classical works, and possibly a box of Earl Grey. The rest he would donate to a charity. And he would feel some level of guilt about spending some on himself.

The ammount of money that I give away is greater than the money that I spend on just entertianment. So while I can't throw stones, I can sure kick some sand. This is not a plank-speck issue. I don't know how much they have given to charity. Maybe 6 mil? 9 mil? Who knows. I am just saying that it seems more crack head in nature than Trek Fan in that they are willing to pay any ammount to continue getting their fix.

There are a thousand ways to entertain ones self beyond a television show. And I am not saying that they can't do with their money or time what they want. I just find it decidedly un-star trek to do so. Seems to me that star trek was about a better future. I find it very hard to imagine how spending ones resources to continue a TV show really makes the future better. Granted, continueing the star trek line in the US might inspire, but so would reruns of TNG.



Aaron.

 

[Raloc]

Why are you complaining how others spend/donate their money? It is their money if they want to spend on a bribe to save the show so what! If you think the money should be spend on nets for africans start your own web site and ask for donations.
What people do with their cash is no one elses business so get your nose out you Klingon cyclon traitor.

I wouldn't call it a bribe. If fans do manage to raise the required money, they'd be paying the wages of everyone working on the show.

Also, again I must adress the fallacy some of you are relying on. You say, "Why spend this on a show when you could donate it to charity, save the children BLAH BLAH BLAH etc." If you're going to use that argument, you have to take it to its proper conclusion. If someone were to donate money to charities rather than buy material items or spend on luxuries, it'd be hypocritical of them not to spend *all* their excess money on charities.

A human needs only water and a variety of vitamins and minerals, in addition to adequate calories to survive. Why buy a television when you can donate $300 to charity? Why buy a soda when you can donate that money to allow a child to eat for a day? Why buy a new Lexus when an old VW Beetle will suffice? Or a bicycle for that matter. Other posters, please refrain from using this flawed argument. Thank you.

 

[jasper]

i use a flawed arguement if I want to Raloc. I am human. Not Vulcan!.
No I just tired of people bring out "that money should be spend on" whatever that person believes is better with other people money. It a trigger. Of course it could be that it looking I will have to pay more taxes this year and I not thinking straight.
Or do I ever think straight?

 

[jester47]

A human needs only water and a variety of vitamins and minerals, in addition to adequate calories to survive. Why buy a television when you can donate $300 to charity?

Cause I am a selfish human being.

Why buy a soda when you can donate that money to allow a child to eat for a day?

Cause I am a selfish human being.

Why buy a new Lexus when an old VW Beetle will suffice? Or a bicycle for that matter.

Want me to say it again? Its the truth.

Other posters, please refrain from using this flawed argument. Thank you.

Post the way you want. We are all flawed. This whole debate stems from the differing viewpoints about human nature and how to handle its flaws. Its the lesser of two evils. Immediate relief vs. the potential for greater relief later. Personally I don't find TV to be that much of a priority. So for me, from my point of view, its a waste. But we all err differently and so we must deal with it in different ways. But I see saving the life of 3 million to be better than alleviating the selfish want of another 3 million for a year. But it is not my money to spend, so it is not my decision. I had just hoped that the message of TNG had acctually gotten through. I guess thats not true in this case.

 

[Darrin Drader]

This whole debate is foolish. If people want to spend their money in this way then it is their right. Period. End of story. I personally wouldn't waste a dime trying to save Star Trek from the dark pit of despair it is now in, but tha's just where my priorities are. On the other hand, I'd hand over half a month's pay if it meant we got more Babylon 5.

 

[Umbran]

I am just saying that it seems more crack head in nature than Trek Fan in that they are willing to pay any ammount to continue getting their fix.

With the big honkin' assumption that the people donating are simply fanboys (or fangirls) who need to get a fix. With the information given, there's another guess that seems, to me, to be far more reasonable and plausible.

It was stated that these folks are also big monetary supporters of commercial spaceflight. Trek is the only show that has consistently backed similar ideals. Each episode of Trek is, in effect, an hour-long commercial for spaceflight. Looked at that way, the $3 million they've put forth for the season is pretty cheap advertising.

 

[mojo1701]

With the big honkin' assumption that the people donating are simply fanboys (or fangirls) who need to get a fix. With the information given, there's another guess that seems, to me, to be far more reasonable and plausible.

It was stated that these folks are also big monetary supporters of commercial spaceflight. Trek is the only show that has consistently backed similar ideals. Each episode of Trek is, in effect, an hour-long commercial for spaceflight. Looked at that way, the $3 million they've put forth for the season is pretty cheap advertising.

Well said, Umbran. Star Trek has inspired so many people all around the word. They talk about this in "Trekkies." They even interviewed Buzz Aldrin about Trek and its influence in spaceflight.

From IMDb's page about James Doohan:

(James Doohan) was given an honorary Degree in Engineering by the Milwaukee School of Engineering where apparently half of the students polled said they were inspired to study engineering by his role in "Star Trek"

 

[jester47]

With the big honkin' assumption that the people donating are simply fanboys (or fangirls) who need to get a fix. With the information given, there's another guess that seems, to me, to be far more reasonable and plausible.

It was stated that these folks are also big monetary supporters of commercial spaceflight. Trek is the only show that has consistently backed similar ideals. Each episode of Trek is, in effect, an hour-long commercial for spaceflight. Looked at that way, the $3 million they've put forth for the season is pretty cheap advertising.

Now thats a good point I failed to see. I find Jeff Bezos and Paul Allen simply being pissed off that someone cancelled their favorite show less a motivator than the fact that Jeff and Paul feel the need to keep interest in spaceflight going. Still humanly selfish but not petty.

However, the original star trek was cancelled and it was 30 years before TNG. Perhaps the cancellation of Enterprise will bode well in the future.

(ug spent too much time in this debate, this is why I only post on Fridays).

Aaron.