Allegory Fun With The Titanic, Star Trek and Seamen

'The situation is grave, Admiral. We won't have main power for six "days". Auxiliary power has temporarily failed. Restoration may be possible, in two "days". By the book, Admiral.'- Mr Spock, communication with Admiral Kirk in "Wrath of Khan".

"Captain Spock, if you don't hear from us within one hour, your orders are to restore what power you can, take the Enterprise to the nearest star base, and alert Starfleet Command as soon as you're out of jamming range."-Admiral Kirk in response to Mr Spock

I love that above exchange. Sends chills up my spine. That cocky half-Vulcan, half-Romulan Saavik  was to stupid to get it. Never did like Saavik, especially the way she talked to Uhura while down on Regula 1. But, and I have digressed, are the above quote code or allegory or both? I believe both, but for arguments sake let's use those quotes as a starting point into today's bedtime allegory.

Imagine if you will that the Captain of the Titanic and his first officer, Lt. William McMaster Murdoch are running the Titanic together. Now Lt. Murdoch has been thrust upon Captain Smith by the cold, cruel White Star Lines. Lt Murdoch previously was a lowly seaman and never did anything to distinguish himself in that position. In fact, Lt Murdoch sucked as a seaman. But because Lt Murdoch had friends in high places, he became a first officer.

Now Captain Smith is stuck with this incompetent first officer. Capt. Smith delegates easy tasks to Lt Murdoch soon after discovering how stupid, incompetent, and nasty Lt Murdoch is. In fact, Lt Murdoch is up for a permanent position as first officer after FIVE DAYS (ALLEGORY ALERT!) as first officer, but is too much of a fucktard to get it. So Capt Smith gives the first officer meaningless jobs to do around the ship, jobs that can be outsourced to the sea otters at the Bronx Zoo and which will be able to free up money on the Titanic.

The first officer, Lt Murdoch, because of this position of "authority," never realizes that authority is to be earned and not thrust upon others because of some title. Lt Murdoch has no clue to anything pertaining to the sea. No clue to anything about how to run a ship. No clue to how to treat the seamen, and definitely no clue to how to treat the guests (ALLEGORY ALERT!). 

Every seaman on the Titanic thinks that the first officer, Lt Murdoch is a circus act. Never before in the history of the White Star line is a first officer so universally disliked by seamen. The seamen on the ship even ask Lt Murdoch while pointing from the railing to the sea below and ask what that surface is below and Lt Murdoch is just too stupid to answer correctly.

The First Officer, Lt Murdoch attempts to get others to do his job. Why? Actually two reasons. One is so that Lt Murdoch doesn't have to and can just be lazy as all heck. The other, well First Officer Lt Murdoch is afraid to be held responsible by his actions. It is better to pas the buck to someone and of they fuck up, it will not be First Officer Lt. Murdoch's fuck up.

First Officer Lt Murdoch also lies like there is no tomorrow. Murdoch likes to lie about what other seaman say to one another, this way, the seamen are always divided and point there anger towards each other rather than to where the anger must be targeted.

First Officer Lt Murdoch was on duty the night the Titanic hit the iceberg. A guest on the Titanic could have steered the ship clear of the Titanic, but thanks to First Officer Lt Murdoch's incompetency the Titanic sank. Lt Murdoch couldn't even do right by the guests as the ship was sinking. Lt Murdoch is now every known as Lt Dunsel (A STAR TREK ALLEGORY!).

Captain Smith sees the light, Captain Smith must stand up against those at the White Star line and make a stand. Now, before it is too late.