FLASHCARDS! Tourism: When History and Star Trek Intertwine

In this episode of Math! Science! History!, we explore the ethics of exploration through three lenses: the protests over modern overtourism, the historical insights of early scientific explorers, and the fictional moral compass of Star Trek’s Prime Directive. From 18th-century expeditions to the 23rd-century starship Enterprise, we examine how curiosity, respect, and humility can guide how we move through the world, whether on cobblestone streets or alien worlds.

Three Things Listeners Will Learn

The origins and real-world inspiration behind Star Trek’s Prime Directive.

How early scientific explorers approached discovery with respect for cultures and environments.

Practical ways to travel ethically in an age of overtourism.

Links to Resources

Louvre Museum staff strike over overcrowding: Louvre shut down by spontaneous staff strike over 'untenable' working conditions

Venice overtourism measures: Venice Doubles Last-Minute 'Tourist Tax' ,  Other Cities Watch Closely - Business Insider

Star Trek “The Return of the Archons” episode summary: The Return of the Archons (episode) | Memory Alpha | Fandom

Star Trek Prime Directive overview: https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Prime_Directive

Explore more on our website: mathsciencehistory.com
To buy my book Hypatia: The Sum of Her Life on Amazon, visit https://a.co/d/g3OuP9h

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Episode Transcript

(00:02):
It's Flashcard Fridays at Math Science History and I'm your host Gabrielle Birchak.
Today, we're going to unpack something a little different, but very relevant.
We are going to travel far into the future and then back to the year 1799.
But first, a word from my advertisers.
Today's Flashcards episode is about ethical exploration and what it means to be a kind,

(00:28):
curious tourist in a world struggling under the weight of too many visitors and not enough empathy.
In Paris, workers at the Louvre recently staged walkouts over the unsustainable crowds.
In Venice, officials have started charging tourists to enter the city during peak hours.
Barcelona residents protest regularly about noise,

(00:52):
cost of living spikes, and their city becoming like a theme park.
So, what is driving all of this?
Mass tourism, fueled by cheap airfare, algorithmic travel guides, and the irresistible Instagram photo.
Travel isn't inherently bad, but like anything powerful, it needs to be wielded with care.

(01:13):
So, let's set our course for 2267.
In Star Trek, the Enterprise, under Captain Kirk and First Officer Spock,
encounters Beta-3, a planet where citizens move in trance-like harmony.
The people of Beta-3 are controlled by Landru,
an ancient computer enforcing peace through total obedience.

(01:36):
In the episode, The Return of the Archons, Spock warns of Starfleet's prime directive
that civilizations must develop naturally.
In-universe, it's been part of Starfleet's thinking for over a century,
possibly before the year 2152.
Still, here in 2267, it becomes a spoken rule, a moral line in the stars.

(02:00):
However, Kirk, of course, deems this society stagnant
and assumes that in this case, the prime directive doesn't apply.
So, he finds a loophole and destroys Landru,
freeing the people, making this the first on-screen mention of a rule both revered and bendable.

(02:20):
From its very first appearance, the prime directive was both a noble ideal
and a flexible tool, ready to be upheld, bent, or broken,
depending on who was in the captain's chair.
So, let's fast forward in Star Trek time.
The year is now 2364,
and the USS Enterprise-D glides through space under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

(02:45):
But there's an uninvited guest on the bridge,
someone who treats the prime directive not as sacred law, but as a plaything.
Q, the omnipotent trickster, the mischievous cosmic judge,
the infuriating guide and teacher,
the universal force that sets others up to wrestle with their self-image as enlightened explorers.

(03:09):
From the moment he first appeared in the episode Encounter at Farpoint,
Q made it his mission to test humanity's ideals, especially the prime directive.
He doesn't respect it. He doesn't follow it. He mocks it.
He engineers scenarios where Picard must decide whether to interfere in another civilization's fate

(03:31):
or stand aside, knowing inaction could lead to suffering.
Sometimes Q's games make interference feel not only tempting, but morally necessary.
And then, with that trademark smirk, he watches humanity squirm,
delighting in the moments they question whether the prime directive is a noble compass
or just a shield to hide behind when action is risky.

(03:55):
Because whether it's 2267, 2364, or even the year 2025, or even 1799,
the same question hangs in the air.
When does stepping in become an act of kindness? And when does it become interference?
In 1799, Alexander von Humboldt set sail from Spain

(04:16):
on what would become one of the most ambitious scientific expeditions in history.
Over the next five years, he and botanist I.M. Montblanc
traversed thousands of miles across Latin America,
from the Venezuelan Llanos to the Andes Mountains and the Amazon Rainforest.
Humboldt's mission wasn't conquest. It was curiosity.

(04:38):
He measured everything from barometric pressure, magnetic variation,
altitudes, and plant distribution.
But he didn't just observe nature. He saw patterns.
He was one of the first to describe ecosystems as interconnected systems.
Long before the word ecology entered the scientific lexicon.
But what truly sets Humboldt apart is this.

(05:00):
He listened. He didn't just extract knowledge. He honored it.
Indigenous knowledge wasn't just folklore to him.
It was valuable data.
He frequently praised the expertise of the guides
who led him through forests, rivers, and mountain passes.
In an era when colonialism was justified through claims of European superiority,

(05:23):
Humboldt's approach was revolutionary.
He recognized the dignity, intelligence, and history of the people he met.
His writings even condemned slavery and exploitation.
Rare positions for someone of his class and background.
His idea of science wasn't about domination. It was about connection.
He was following, basically, the prime directive.

(05:47):
And knew that just because you can intervene, doesn't mean you should intervene.
Like the Star Trek crew, Humboldt himself went into unfamiliar environments.
But not as a conqueror. He observed without disrupting.
He offered knowledge, but also absorbed it.
And yet, if we fast forward to today's tourism landscape, we're often doing the opposite.

(06:12):
Mass tourism has become a form of passive interference.
We don't colonize anymore with flags. We do it with cameras, currency, and clout.
So let's be honest. We're not just exploring. We are consuming.
But here's the thing. This doesn't mean we shouldn't travel.
It means we have to relearn how to travel.

(06:34):
And for that, both Humboldt and Starfleet offer a blueprint.
So let's break down the flashcards.
First, be a Humboldtian tourist. Observe. Learn. Respect.
When Humboldt entered a new region, he didn't just race through it.
He studied its geology, climate, plant life, and culture.

(06:55):
He approached the world with awe, not entitlement.
So what does that look like today?
Well, choose local guides over international chains.
Visit museums, yes, but also learn local stories from community voices.
Eat local food, not just say you did, but to understand the geography,
the history, and the economy behind each delicious bite.

(07:20):
Learn the native language. Even an imperfect thank you is a gesture of respect.
Just the basics, like thank you and where is the bathroom?
So the second flashcard, follow the Prime Directive.
Non-interference is powerful.
Too often, tourists try to fix or improve what they don't understand.

(07:44):
Whether it's critiquing customs or assuming one's own cultural norms are universal,
it's easy to slip into arrogance.
The Prime Directive reminds us we don't always know better.
And even when we do, the way forward isn't always easy.
There are ways to intervene, but to support from a place of humility.

(08:04):
So what does this mean in practical terms?
Well, first, avoid photographing people without permission.
Two, don't enter sacred or restricted areas because it looks cool.
And three, don't exploit places for aesthetics without contributing to preservation.
Flashcard number three, think ecologically and economically.

(08:26):
Humboldt's science emphasized interconnectedness.
He saw how deforestation affect rainfall, how altitude influenced agriculture.
He was, in many ways, one of the first climate scientists.
Modern tourism needs that same awareness.
So ask yourself, is this destination suffering from over-tourism?

(08:49):
Or is my Airbnb rental contributing to housing scarcity?
Or is my cruise ship polluting coastal waters?
These are things to think about.
Sometimes the kindest thing we can do is not go.
Go somewhere lesser known and be a force for good.
In both Humboldt's writings and in Star Trek's fiction, we see a common thread.

(09:12):
True exploration is not about what you take.
It's about what you leave intact.
So the next time you book a ticket, ask yourself,
am I traveling like a conqueror or like a curious, respectful explorer?
Because in the end, we are all explorers.
Whether we are wandering the Andes, standing in line at the Louvre,

(09:32):
or navigating strange new worlds, we all share this tiny pale blue dot.
So let's be thoughtful about how we move through it.
Thank you for tuning in to Flashcards Fridays at Math Science History.
Until next time, carpe diem.