Something about Nog’s literacy history brings up a ton of weird questions in-universe.

  1. How are the Ferengi able to be a functional space-faring species and business empire without at least a little emphasis on literacy?

Even for as class-based a society as the Ferengi, lower level workers have to have at least a little literacy to read instrument panels, repair ships, make sure they’re carrying the right package, etcetera.

I think a key example here is Rom, who starts out a relatively typical exploited Ferengi - how would he read manuals to repair a holosuite without literacy.

I see two explanations. One, perhaps by “reading”, they’re referring to reading of a lengua franca like Federation standard - Nog has learned and is capable of reading the Ferengi language, but not another. When dealing with other languages, the general expectation is either a universal translator is used or they pick it up as they go.

Alternatively, it could be that it is expected in Ferengi culture that reading is just something you pick up on the job rather than in a concerted educational effort.

  1. How did Nog manage to “catch up” fast enough to attain the educational level needed for a Starfleet officer?

Of course, it is said and implied that after the school closes, Keiko teaches Jake and Nog one-on-one. Some education definitely happened off-screen.

Still, Starfleet seems to have educational requirements. In LD:“Something Borrowed, Something Green”, Tendi mentions how she wouldn’t have gotten into the Academy without having gone to high school, suggesting Nog needs the equivalent of a high school education to train to be a Starfleet officer.

It sounds a little ridiculous to go from being unable to read to a full high school education in less than three years, though that could be a bigger stretch than I’m making it out to be.

I’d say the simplest explanation is probably that again, Nog was more educated than we might interpreting being “unable to read” to mean.

It might be possible Ferengi also have higher-than-human-average neuroplasticity and simply adapt easier - this might even aid in the on the job theory.

So what are your ten cents? Also, it’s been a while - glad to be back on Daystrom.

  • shutz@lemmy.caEnglish
    0·
    2 days ago

    Nog went up the ranks more quickly because of the war, which provided him with many opportunities. Also, his connections, which allowed him to intern on DS9 and the Defiant, again in the context of war.

    Harry was on a ship isolated from Starfleet. If Janeway had promoted everyone who had the merit, she’d have had a ship full of commanders and a handful of captains by the time they got home. But most of those people would have had to keep doing the same jobs, anyway.

    But the true reason for the discrepancy noted by OP is just down to the fact that Voyager’s writing team just wasn’t as good as DS9’s (or they were held back from above). The only characters to have a meaningful arc on Voyager were the Doctor, and Seven. The others mostly just had to reset at the end of every episode to preserve the show’s episodic nature.

    Harry never got promoted because the writers never figured out how to evolve his function on the show. Now, I assign a small part of the blame to Garrett Wang himself: he rarely gave performances that stood out and made the writers want to write about him more. But most of the blame goes to the writers and show-runners.

    For example, if they’d exploited dual crews more throughout the series, with more conflict, etc., Harry might have found a place. Imagine if the Maquis crew had had their own ship for a big part of the series? Harry, eventually frustrated at being passed over for promotion, might have joined them!

    • williams_482@startrek.websiteMEnglish
      0·
      2 days ago

      Harry never got promoted because the writers never figured out how to evolve his function on the show.

      This one is a bit of a copout, because Kim’s official role as the ship’s operations officer would absolutely have been appropriate for a higher ranking officer. It’s the same job Data held as a Lieutenant Commander on the Enterprise; if anything, the strange bit is that it was given to a green ensign in the first place.

      Ultimately, the real explanation is a much sillier bit of bad writing. According to Garret Wang, quoted here:

      Kim was probed, beaten, tortured and held the distinction of being the first Voyager crew member to die and come back to life. What more does a guy have to do to get promoted to Lieutenant for frak’s sake? To add further insult to injury, other crew members such as Tuvok (Russ) and Paris were being promoted, demoted and then re- promoted throughout the seven-year run of Voyager.

      I’m not trying to be negative here; just saying it like it is. During the fourth season, I called writer/producer Brannon Braga and asked him why my character hadn’t received a promotion yet. His response? “Well, somebody’s gotta be the ensign.” Geez, thanks. Thanks for nothing.

      Why it was important that “somebody’s gotta be the ensign” is a mystery to me.