The problem is that the Prime Directive as presented in Star Trek is shown as this fully formed dictate without anyone having a good idea as to why it is important. It is made worse with Star Trek’s episodic form that doesn’t go back to previous worlds to check up on them; Lower Decks makes it a point to show that the Federation is really bad at this.
In contrast, Stargate has a few episodes which show how such a policy would be good for the program.
I love that one episode in Atlantis with the “strategy game” in the Atlantean computer for this. Arguably one big difference is that the Tau’ri were always closer in tech to the places they visited than the Goa’uld et al.
I always took it more as the Tau’ri were never in a condition to control the space around primitive cultures, so they never bothered trying to protect local cultures. You also don’t have a utopia economy yet, so the Tau’ri government was far more willing to not worry about societal impacts if it meant gaining access to technology or resources.
The problem is that the Prime Directive as presented in Star Trek is shown as this fully formed dictate without anyone having a good idea as to why it is important. It is made worse with Star Trek’s episodic form that doesn’t go back to previous worlds to check up on them; Lower Decks makes it a point to show that the Federation is really bad at this.
In contrast, Stargate has a few episodes which show how such a policy would be good for the program.
I love that one episode in Atlantis with the “strategy game” in the Atlantean computer for this. Arguably one big difference is that the Tau’ri were always closer in tech to the places they visited than the Goa’uld et al.
I always took it more as the Tau’ri were never in a condition to control the space around primitive cultures, so they never bothered trying to protect local cultures. You also don’t have a utopia economy yet, so the Tau’ri government was far more willing to not worry about societal impacts if it meant gaining access to technology or resources.
As fucked up as that was the show does play it for laughs, which makes it considerably worse.