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Comment by JoelMcCracken | Hacker News Reader

YESYESYESYESYES

Sorry, but Picard influenced me as much an any person in my life. This makes me so happy.

One could pick a worse role model than Picard.

Best of all, any negative traits he might have (besides a self-professed awkwardness around children) seem to stem from being too idealistic, which are very hard to replicate when based only on a role model. Stringent ideals typically require some deeper conviction.

Fictional characters make for really good role models purely because they they embody an ideal that is largely unobtainable, which is easy when the hero always needs to win by the end of the episode. That being said, any decent critique of TNG in relation to Picard would have to admit that Picard is both overly idealistic and pragmatic to a fault. But the medium is its own worst critic: there are numerous episodes where Picard skirting what are essentially his own ideals is challenged.

WWPD?

Picard is both overly idealistic and pragmatic to a fault

Yeah, that was half my point. I probably phrased it poorly, but what I mean is if we accept his faults are idealism and pragmatism, we can then suggest his faults will not transfer. It's really hard to be that pragmatic IRL!

WWQD?

Words to live by.

It would be interesting to do a poll in relation to favorite star-trek character (TNG) and then cross-reference that to respondent’s job/career.

I bet there is a strong correlation between Data (the character) and a programmer.

What do you think the correlation to Riker, Picard, Worf would be?

I bet there is a strong correlation between Data (the character) and a programmer.

seems a tad cliched, don't you think? i'd bet that most people wouldn't want to self-associate with an emotionless android

Emotionless? This proves that you're not a Data fan. He had tons of emotion.

Data is too logical. I always prefer Geordi because he just figured shit out and made it work.

Data didn't really do much, he was just there as a foil to other characters. He was basically Scooby Doo (Wesley was Scrappy).

Contrast to TOS where Spock was a fully developed character and an equal participant in the Kirk-McCoy-Spock trinity.

I disagree. The majority of the really good, well written episodes are about either Picard or Data. Picard and Data stories seriously advanced the plot of the TNG series, and had a greater influence on later episodes.

Although, I do really like your comparison to Scooby Doo and Scrappy.

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