The noble lie and - Battlestar Galactica

Bill White · 2003-12-10 18:25:24

Did anyone else watch the two part mini-series Battlestar Galactica? Did anyone notice that the plot premise of any continuing series (if the series continues) will revolve around a "noble lie" asserted by Commander Adama as the second half of the show came to an end?

Cobra Commander · 2003-12-10 19:19:21

I did watch it, was neither impressed nor disappointed. The military was facing cutbacks, everyone felt secure and comfortable, some were pushing ahead with the technology that burned them in the past. It was all very progressive one might say. Progressive like cancer. Cylons kill everyone, no one saw it coming. Fools.

As for the "Noble Lie" element, I'd like to see that played out. It's similar to (I'm going to piss off somebody here... ) the idea of a Heaven, you can't prove it's there, but no one can prove it isn't and as long as enough people believe it behavior is directed toward desireable ends. There was already the element that I can crudely sum up as "when peaceniks run things, people die" and I'd like to see them take on the big, shining lie. They won't, but it would be interesting. To me it's far better than the old premise of searching for a planet they knew was out there someplace.

Josh Cryer · 2003-12-10 20:17:44

To us it's not a lie, though (the original series had a similar premise). We know how it ends. They find earth. It all reminds me (someone's going to laugh at me) about an episode of Ally McBeal I saw wherein the preacher was atheist.

I was personally very satisfied with how the little miniseries worked out. I was wanting far more though (which is exactly how they intended it I'm sure).

Cobra's comments don't surprise me, though. Except for one thing, I think that the failure for humans wasn't because of technology, it was because of how that technology was used. Clearly the other technologies weren't suceptable (yet they preformed similar things, like flying ships, etc).

Palomar · 2003-12-10 20:26:12

*Nope. Haven't even seen it advertised. What channel?

Funny this is mentioned...a few days ago I happened to be channel surfing and caught an episode from the original 1970s show (it's been quite a while). Dirk Benedict, what a gorgeous man. :;):

--Cindy

Bill White · 2003-12-10 21:26:25

*Nope. Haven't even seen it advertised. What channel?
Funny this is mentioned...a few days ago I happened to be channel surfing and caught an episode from the original 1970s show (it's been quite a while). Dirk Benedict, what a gorgeous man. :;):
--Cindy

http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/

If you remember the original. . . this one is waaay less cheesy

And, Tricia Helfer will do for men what Dirk Benedict does (did?) for women.

Do you think she might be my type?

= = =

Sorry - it looks like the Sci-Fi Channel pulled a lot of its web presence, perhaps to better hype the next showing.

= = =

PS to Cindy - - if you know the original, catch this re-make when you can. Starbuck was re-cast as a woman. A cigar smoking, officer punching woman who is the best pilot in the service. Pretty cool, IMHO.

~Eternal~ · 2003-12-10 22:00:49

I expected a few more episodes .

Bill White · 2003-12-10 22:59:09

I expected a few more episodes .

Send Sci-Fi Channel a letter, my understanding is that they will make this a full series IF feedback is positive.

But don't tell Bob Zubrin. We are supposed to be writing the US Congress.

clark · 2003-12-11 15:07:01

Ah, the Noble Lie...

Here is a bit of the varnished truth about a certain 1960's Noble Lie that got us to the Moon.

We may very well not want to 'ask' for another Kennedy to revive our shared space explorations dreams.

http://www.jfklibrary.org/newsletter_wi … 14-15.html

White House Tape: JFK Gave Moon a Top Priority
It was a top priority of President John F. Kennedy that the United States land on the moon before the Soviet Union according to a newly declassified 73-minute White House tape recording released by the Kennedy Library on August 22.
At the November 21, 1962 meeting, President Kennedy and his staff were discussing a supplemental budget for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the effect the increased money would have on expediting the scheduled orbital flights and the Apollo Space Program.
The meeting came 18 months after President Kennedy's May 25, 1961 speech before Congress where he declared, "I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal before this decade is out of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth." In the course of the discussion, an animated exchange between President Kennedy and James Webb, Administrator of NASA, took place over the priority of the lunar landing program. Webb argued that the lunar program was "one" of the top priority programs of NASA. The President wanted it made clear that it was "the" priority program - not only for NASA but for the entire government - with the desired result being that the United States would beat the Russians to the moon.
Faced with the option of directing federal funds more generally across the entire space program, President Kennedy argued with Webb for a more focused and expedited approach toward the lunar landing. Having such a goal, the President argued, would carry the country's entire space effort forward.
The president asked Webb if he considered the moon landing NASA's top priority.
"No sir, I do not," Webb replied. "I think it is one of the top priority programs."
Kennedy responded that it should be the top priority.
"This is important for political reasons, international political reasons," the president said. "And this is, whether we like it or not, in a sense a race. Being second to the moon is nice, but it's - it's like being second anytime," the president said.
"Everything that we do should be tied into getting on to the moon ahead of the Russians. We ought to get it really clear that the policy ought to be that this is the top priority program of the agency and one... of the top priorities of the United States government," he said.
"Otherwise we shouldn't be spending this kind of money, because I am not that interested in space," Kennedy said. "I think it's good. I think we ought to know about it.
President Kennedy and James Webb, Administrator of NASA, White House, January 30, 1961.
"But we're talking about fantastic expenditures," Kennedy said. "We've wrecked our budget, and all these other domestic programs, and the only justification for it, in my opinion, is to do it in the time element I am asking."
Describing the historical gem released by the Kennedy Library, a Boston Globe editorial stated: "That's what makes the unexcised 73-minute tape... so fascinating: It's a trip back nearly 40 years to a window of unvarnished, unspun White House time... An earful of history can be as rich as a tome. Richer."
The declassified tape was the subject of major international and national news coverage, including ABC World News Tonight, BBC News, ABC Good Morning America, NBC Today Show, CNN, and national wire stories by Reuters News Service and the Associated Press.

I thought this was interesting, sorry to be off-topic.

Cobra Commander · 2003-12-11 16:25:07

I thought this was interesting, sorry to be off-topic.

Yeah, we wouldn't want to get away from the important issues

I've always thought the Battlestar Galactica premise had great potential, people of an advanced technological civilization suddenly stripped of their home and illusions, forced to survive against an enemy determined to destroy them. It was never quite done as well as I thought it could be, but if the Sc-Fi Channel makes more episodes I'll certainly give it a chance.

Cobra's comments don't surprise me, though. Except for one thing, I think that the failure for humans wasn't because of technology, it was because of how that technology was used.

As is always the case. Still, if you must build a sentient robot make sure you have a remote with a destruct button.

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#1 2003-12-10 18:25:24

Re: The noble lie and - Battlestar Galactica

#2 2003-12-10 19:19:21

Re: The noble lie and - Battlestar Galactica

#3 2003-12-10 20:17:44

Re: The noble lie and - Battlestar Galactica

#4 2003-12-10 20:26:12

Re: The noble lie and - Battlestar Galactica

#5 2003-12-10 21:26:25

Re: The noble lie and - Battlestar Galactica

#6 2003-12-10 22:00:49

Re: The noble lie and - Battlestar Galactica

#7 2003-12-10 22:59:09

Re: The noble lie and - Battlestar Galactica

#8 2003-12-11 15:07:01

Re: The noble lie and - Battlestar Galactica

#9 2003-12-11 16:25:07

Re: The noble lie and - Battlestar Galactica

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