Data's search for self-signification.

S06E16

[@Roosauec]

I really like how Picard is taking Data's concern so seriously. To anyone else, they might deem the matter trivial, and dismiss the entire thing as a dream. But Picard really wants to help Data, and won't let himself settle for giving him a subpar answer. It shows that Picard is just as much a good friend as he is a good captain.

[@HuntingTarg]

Picard is: 1. An explorer 2. An ardent competitor 3. An archaeophile and a philosopher He fought for Data's personal sovereignty in "Measure of a Man", and supported him in some of his most difficult life decisions. Picard is as much a mentor on 'being human' to Data as Troi or Geordi. It would be out of character for him to not have an interest in his inquiry.

[@Infamous_B_C]

It’s probably the main reason data doesn’t “kill all humans” and make an army of himself. We’d all be zoo creatures for millions of new data’s to learn from.

[@HuntingTarg]

@@Infamous_B_C Data has directives akin to Asimov's 'Laws of Robotics' ; that is what drives the plot of "The Most Toys" and makes the ending so dramatic.

[@XD152awesomeness]

Nah he just really hated studying Bajoran aqueduct management

[@jordanelings8351]

The really ironic thing is that it really was a dream. But that in and of itself is what was so remarkable for Data, that he could dream.

[@ThatFadedAsian]

I think Picard and Data are perfect representations of raw intellect and wisdom.

[@xenofurmi]

+ThatFadedAsian I really appreciate that, and, at some level, you're probably right. Picard is better than even a raw description of wisdom. I want to say "leader" but he's even better than that.

[@MichaelGroesbeck]

Philosopher King. The entire Star Trek NG series is based upon the works of Plato.

[@benjamin8459]

The world, especially the west, could use this bit of wisdom right about now.

[@-dash]

Perhaps. But Kirk is king.

[@afterburner8083]

I'd say Picard represents wisdom, Data represents intellect, Troi represents intuition and Worf represents courage and honor.

[@tek512]

Noonian Soong may have been Data's father, but he sure wasn't his daddy.

[@Xylarxcode]

I understood that reference.

[@kazemizu]

Bad reference, you’re implying Picard will die

[@sfitzmd]

@@kazemizu Technically he did die before data did...

[@RedLP5000S]

Data is the child that Picard never had. It shows in how much he cares for him.

[@hannibalburgers477]

Uhm... Wesley is "supposed to be" child he never had. Just people didn't liked the character

[@InfernosReaper]

@@hannibalburgers477 Because he was badly written, so he was a Mary Sue until Gene died and then the writers who replaced him hated him so they didn't do a good course correction on him.

[@HuntingTarg]

@@InfernosReaper I liked Wesley because I identified with him; intellectually gifted, socially and emotionally awkward, and insatiably curious. I cannot find the majority of the viewing audience disliking him praiseworthy.

[@HuntingTarg]

And disagree; Data is Picard's protegé, of sorts - his quest to become as human as possible is something that Picard takes an intentional interest in.

[@AzguardMike]

until Picard Season 1 had him confess he was robo gay for Data "Because you love me Sir?" Yes Data, i do.

[@Alex_1729]

Aaaaaand back to intricacies of Bajoran acquaduct management...

[@aperson22222]

If only there were an officer whom Picard outranks who was assigned to be Starfleet’s point man in dealing with Bajor full time.

[@ThePathStrider]

@@aperson22222 Can't send the Emissary Of The Prophets to fix the plumbing. The Bajorians would be outraged. Also, Starfleet would be livid if he started walking on water while at the aqueduct.

[@MannyXVIII]

@@ThePathStrider "Also, Starfleet would be livid if he started walking on water while at the aqueduct." hahahahahahaha

[@AdmiralKarelia]

@@ThePathStrider if only that Emissary had a experienced engineer on hand who he could delegate those tasks to.

[@ThePathStrider]

@@AdmiralKarelia Isn't he still trying to figure out those self-sealing stembolts? They are the Star Trek equivalent to the Three Seashells.

[@garybusey9941]

I like how Picard immediately changes the subject as soon as Data says "sexual prowess". I guess Riker's prank made him pretty wary of shit like that.

[@RichFreeman]

Seems like somebody should buy Picard a bigger monitor so he doesn't have to hunch over and strain his eyes all day...

[@MyoclonicJerkCough]

yeah it looks like he's squinting at a laptop lol, I had a flashback of meetings at work

[@IrvingIV]

@@MyoclonicJerkCough Probably the feeling they wanted to convey.

[@margotrosendorn6371]

There's probably a chiropractor or three among the medical staff, or maybe a holodeck spa?

[@TRNATO1]

Let's all chip in for our favorite captain ;)

[@davfree9732]

This is why old franchises should never be updated. They show the history of what was, and how far we’ve come since the episode aired and made its mark in history.

[@d.slattarra2934]

He's doing what we all do. Flip through wikipedia and the interwebz aimlessly.

[@alexpetrovich85]

Apparently he fell into a Bajoran Aqueduct Management deep dive.

[@benlaskowski357]

Wrong. He's searching for something. Data had a dream. DATA DOESN'T DREAM.

[@benlaskowski357]

@@gg-eo6ez ? It's been so long since I watched this.

[@Zwei4815]

@@benlaskowski357 Cellular peptide cake.

[@squattingheads]

He is looking for that ferengi hammer stuff

[@strayster2]

Data is really one of the most interesting characters in modern fiction.

[@ThePromisedWLAN]

Proof positive that Jean-Luc Picard is more than just the captain of the Enterprise; he's an Intergalactic Techno-Psychedelic Shaman.

[@jasoningram4617]

😇 well said 😇

[@SpaghettiToaster]

Well I'm pretty sure flying through hyperspace is trippier than the highest dose of anything you could take, and he's been doing it every day ever since he still had hair

[@FableMythLore]

that has some warhammer 40k vibes to it.

[@panther196321]

Picard and The Sisco

[@SodaPolycarbonate]

If you're gonna talk in fantasy terms, Picard is really more of a high level space wizard. He's very good at abstract thinking, prefers diplomacy to outright confrontation, is very versed in science, and is full of wisdom.

[@jherrenor]

Picard is like the headmaster you actually listen to.

[@AndrewPriceEsq]

You could say that he's almost like a Professor, couldn't you?? /s

[@highestsettings]

@@AndrewPriceEsq Yeah, we don't have a name for this fictional professor do we? I think we'll call him Professor X.

[@mattabraham3549]

Jordan Peterson is the real world equivalent.

[@archismanchakrabarty9752]

Whenever I feel sad or uninspired, I watch Star Trek The Next Generation clips.

[@Dowlphin]

He described an important function of art; in a larger sense spirituality, self-discovery.

[@foregintrucker464]

The Picard and Data relationship was one of the best in Star Trek. Data's constant questions about being human or this case his own culture. Picard's responses to Data were the most in depth than another character. Next to them, Data and Guinan were also great.

[@gregtheegg3576]

As a card carrying atheist, this was so much more than a tv show to me at the time. Every sunday afternoon/evening I had my weekly visit with jean luc picard as if he were my father figure...a wisened uncle perhaps. I came away inspired, variously puzzled, or otherwise engaged intellectually. Science fiction in general has that potential, but TNG did it on broadcast television once a week without fail. It was church. He was my pastor. I will not apologize for the sincere fact that I miss him. I miss those afternoon sessions. I miss how great science fiction was at the time, and until it is that great again, I will mourn its passing. Unapologetically yours, Captain Jean Luc Picard, Greg the Egg, follower for life.

[@john.premose]

It will never be that great again. For you. Because you are remembering and longing for a time when YOU were different and had different feelings. All the nostalgia and blaming newer things because they don't live up to or make you feel the way things from your earlier life did, is not so much the fault of newer things or that they are so much worse than before, as it is you missing how you felt or were back then.

[@CenterTransformation]

🥚

[@larthejust]

The conversations and discussions between Picard and Data are among my favorite moments of the series.

[@aperson22222]

This was the very first Star Trek episode I ever saw in my life. I had no idea who these people were, but I think Data’s quest to find meaning in such ethereal images is what brought me back for more.

[@rivalx288]

0:12 Picard went down a wikipedia hole.

[@archismanchakrabarty9752]

We've all been down the Russian doll path.

[@CB66941]

"You are a culture of one." This one sentence made me comfortable with the idea that I don't have to belong to any culture nor do I have to adopt anyone else's culture, just because I live in the same region or look similar to a certain group of people that adhere to that culture. Who's to dictate what my identity will be but myself?

[@GozUnlimited]

Data: "I have analysed many varying sources of information to find an answer. For the past 5 hours, I have been simultaneously watching thousands of videos from KZbin. Did you know Captain, that a cat can be trained to use a human toilet?" Picard: "DATA!"

[@lethaweapo1210]

Captain Picard: "Picard to Transporter room. One Android to beam out!"

[@AzguardMike]

Ensign: Where to Captain? Picard: The nearest Romulan War bird.

[@USAgent-gk8es]

If TNG was made in 2018.

[@jcortese3300]

Goddamn, that's funny ...

[@dbloyd2]

I can listen to those two talk all day long. They also have great conversations.

[@keggerous]

One of the best shows ever in all of human history . . . just wonderful. Almost all episodes contain something just so deep and perfect. God damn! I love this show.

[@-Big_Big]

"i think i understand sir... I will go out and cave in peoples skulls with a hammer" "What?" "What?"

[@taelim6599]

Worf: I'M SO PROUD-

[@cunningsmile4166]

Picard is right. Sometimes we might need a jump start to think but once the wheels are spinning, we come up with our own ideas

[@danieldickson8591]

I never fail to be impressed by Jean-Luc Picard's profound wisdom.

[@aCivilServant]

Listen, my son. Don't look outside yourself, look inside. The answers you seek will always be found there.

[@SavvySavant]

I'm so glad I grew up with Star Trek TNG. It teaches you HOW to think...

[@thewatcher9545]

This is the true trek that inspires to think for yourself and not to tell you what to think.

[@Ved000000]

0:15 When you get lost on a trip through wikipedia

[@TheCorrectionTroll]

I love how you can hear Sir Patrick's Yorkshire accent sneak in at 1:52 'let it inspire ya'

[@nolanschotanus2769]

Anytime data says "I think I understand" I immediately start to worry.

[@DayneTreader]

This is why Star Trek holds such a strong place in my heart. Apart from the science fiction (and not-so-fiction) there is so much philosophy that I incorporated into my own sense of thinking. I was a lot more like Data when I started watching the show, and throughout watching the full show I moved a lot closer to the middle of Data and Picard.

[@Wayoutthere]

How did we got from this kind of dialogue to STD...?

[@sabin97]

star trek died when they allowed jar jar abrams to touch it.....

[@azraelknightquest5754]

Sabin97 that comment was vicious and honest, lol

[@heyitsmikegaming]

Or picard for that matter

[@Phenix19]

What happened is that the writers got old and were replaced

[@pamelamays4186]

Picard is one of the best TV dads.

[@KurisuFenrisWolf]

This scene left the most burning question unanswered. Just what were the intricacies of Bajoran acquaduct management?

[@thechroniclegamer4285]

Same

[@mrparkerdan]

After hearing about the Ferengi sex hammer, Picard couldn’t think of anything else. 😂

[@JordanBeagle]

Data's come a long way from "But counsellor, I don't have an ego."

[@richardgates7479]

Whomever wrote this scene should have been writing all of Data's scenes.

[@felicity4711]

An easier question would be, “What did it mean in Dr. Soong’s culture?”

[@phastinemoon]

Perhaps there's no data (pun intended) as to what it would mean in Dr. Soong's culture, because any records of that culture have been lost?

[@D8W2P4]

From what I remember Soong is supposed to be Indian (India) so it would be be a good idea to start from there.

[@AzguardMike]

hammer - tool used for forging - datas origin. knife cutting dianna in half - what half the fans wanted to do to her. Axe her off. The actress is just ok (really rude off screen, especially with her comments on the Enterprise show and her SG1 episode making both all about her and attacking fans who disagree)

[@richardludwig3673]

@@D8W2P4 I have never heard that referenced anywhere (either in TNG or Enterprise). In fact, there really isn't any reference of Soong's heritage or culture (other than being related to Arik Soong - the geneticist from Enterprise).

[@SpaghettiToaster]

Why would that be relevant to what it means to Data?

[@Ancaneon]

I want Picard to be my adoptive father so bad

[@Tomohiko_JPN_1868]

Yes, so that you can succeed to his vineyard.

[@SpaghettiToaster]

@Marcus Jones What makes you think Picard wouldn't cuddle his children?

[@danieldickson8591]

Probably the way he's always been shown dealing with children on TNG -- the younger ones make him uncomfortable, and he tends to be standoffish toward them. But I notice that whenever a child needs him to be warm and supportive, he always makes the effort. I believe he would have made an exceptional father.

[@MyoclonicJerkCough]

Yeah that's about cuddling OTHER people's children, and there are some pretty strict rules about that

[@TheKrensada]

He really needs to stop interrupting my Bajoran Aqueduct management hour.

[@Someonehahaha]

And then data slaughtered the whole ship.

[@jdmcmanus]

hahahahaha OMG!

[@AzguardMike]

Piccard : DATA! What have you done? Data: i took your advice captain. I have begun my own culture. See how the bodies lay in a straight line? It symbolises how dead they are. Would you care to join them, Sir? I find the art......abstract. Piccard: ......damn

[@armoredp]

With a hammer.

[@KnightRaymund]

Now, now, he didn't talk to Troi

[@Nix_Pardus]

Hammer ⚒️ Time

[@Patriiiiick]

Picard would earn a fortune as a life coach.

[@a-blivvy-yus]

Patrick Sewart did earn a fortune as a life coach... he just marketed himself as an actor playing a role while doing so...

[@mrparkerdan]

There is no money in the 24th century …

[@Locktwiste72]

Picard's idea that Data is a culture of one is intriguing. There is only one Data, but even he is s representation of a brand new culture, his own culture. Dara is the philosophical Adam of his culture. The first of possible a future species. Perhaps now that Star Trek Discovery has moved into the 33rd century, it would be nice to show that Data went on to continue Dr. Sung's work and created a population of androids, perhaps those that caMe after him took in more human or humanoid traits, making them easier for humans and other species to relate to. Perhaps Brent Spiner could return in one episode as and older version of Data who might have "aged" himself as he did in TNG's final episode, then have other factors and actresses portray future versions of androids Data developed.

[@mrparkerdan]

Data DIED. Did you watch Star Trek Nemesis? 🤨

[@john.premose]

They did that in Picard, well sort of.

[@margotrosendorn6371]

Ok but serious dream interpretation has basically the same philosophy. Every mind is different, therefore every dream has meaning unique to the individual. While there are often similar patterns and themes, it ultimately ends up with the same question: what does this mean to You?

[@a-blivvy-yus]

Yeah, and what Data did by investigating other people's interpretations of these images is often a helpful step in parsing what something means to you, so both were, in a sense, right...

[@HuntingTarg]

@@a-blivvy-yus Data needed to get to the point of perplexity in order to be prompted to present his difficulty to Picard - and to understand his response to it.

[@a-blivvy-yus]

@@HuntingTarg Yup!

[@ivyisle]

This is such a great episode, if you haven't already you should watch it

[@kassios]

Dear God, two minutes of TNG are better than all of Discovery and Picard combined... what have we come to

[@hhale]

Hundreds of years of computer advances, and yet there is Picard, staring a tiny computer screen intently suffering fatigue in part due to eye strain, when he could be using a much better (and larger) monitor.

[@ChanceBrunton]

I believe Tasha already proved the Ferengi interpretation to be correct. As for what it means to Data, I believe it means he is fully functional.

[@roba1899]

The depth to this series is eternally boundless ..

[@henkman00]

Picard: ''now get out of my office so I can continue looking at ...whatever this is on my very tiny laptop...what is it? dental records?''

[@Etheral101]

Picard was later found with a hammer in his head. Data said 'Was most exciting'.

[@leggonarm9835]

Goes on reading Bajoran aqueduct systems like a boss

[@burpostockings]

Imagine if there was an entire species of Data-like androids, with their own culture and their own habits, diallects, etc. That would be fascinating. Would it be like the Robot World in Futurama, or would they model their culture from others?

[@archangelstormrider3695]

A culture of one .... Awesome Picard

[@blakes8901]

god i wish i had someone like Jean-Luc to guide me

[@jamierose9095]

Ferengis: "The hammer is my penis."

[@craigraboteau7024]

Love this show all the way

[@charzanboo9940]

0:08 that is such a small screen for Galaxy class starship from the future.

[@Locutus]

No shit Sherlock. That's what you get from a series made 20 years before widescreen TVs were common place.

[@Incognito-vc9wj]

Surprising Data's logic didn't lead him to this simple conclusion.

[@albazamora1767]

What a wise piece of advice!

[@michaelserebreny454]

Maybe instead of interpreting the vision he should have been wondering why he was capable of having them in the first place; to me that would indicate he was complex enough to be host to a full consciousness. The real question is how does one accumulate the karma necessary to reincarnate as an Android human instead of an organic one? Perhaps a past life doubting one owns obvious existence while still questioning it as though it truly existed. Wait that's most of us..... uh oh.....

[@kasimmoez949]

Such a good boss

[@user-hi4sm3ig5j]

At the end, I bet Picard was thinking 'oh fuck, I forgot to ask him for help about aqueduct management'.

[@jamesm568]

And all these years later my smartphone has a bigger display than that display Picard is looking at.

[@randomlyentertaining8287]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned how Picard was fine with Data explaining all the different viewpoints he found but instantly spoke up once he mentioned the Ferengi seeing the hammer as a sign of sexual prowess XD

[@mrparkerdan]

I can’t even picture a Ferengi holding a hammer. All they lust for is profit and Latinum. 😒

[@kilroy987]

I'd agree with doing what Picard recommended even if a person had an entire culture surrounding him regarding visions.

[@annameadowshelvie5714]

Legit. I was a Wiccan priestess and when people came asking, "what does this dream mean," etc., the answer was usually found not in dream books and stuff but in them playing and sitting with the dream imagery.

[@IN-tm8mw]

@@annameadowshelvie5714 fascinating, understanding dreams from any perspective is always interesting to me. The window into the subconscious and the subliminal.

[@valer48]

TV show Picard was a smart man...we'll call him Larry.

[@theholydoge8731]

Data and LaForge are my fav characters

[@kalijasin]

Captain Picard very wise in this scene.

[@GalaxyGirl5]

Once again, something concerning Data has spoken directly to me.

[@solomonreal1977]

I'm still hoping for a Bejorian Aqueduct Management spinoff series

[@kiko1935]

Data: I believe I understand sir Proceeds to initiate Enterprise self-destruct sequence.

[@Kris-ox5pm]

"..we don't ask 'What does this mean to other people' .." We do now. See reaction videos and Let's Plays'

[@boyer89joe]

That time he was hammering tasah yar

[@d.tsanroman896]

Picard is the kind of CO I wish I had

[@Boogerfartt]

Picards uniform is so cool

[@bumblebee9337]

If it weren't for lack of experience, Data would know he had a dream.

[@riccampbell]

Am I the only one who would have loved to have Picard for a school counselor?

[@crazylarryjr]

This conversation was probably the beginning if Data building Lol

[@RealDJB]

I get many random clips from Star Trek in my recommended now lmao

[@robertsides3626]

Picard's playing it off real smooth to not let Data know he's playing with a fucking Light Bright.

[@DouglasZwick]

Goddamnit Patrick Stewart is such a fuckin good actor

[@axiilinc7077]

When 2 witches try to eliminate you get a third or seek zero

[@ryanrobison6334]

Last time seeing this, it was ironically with more duality & polarity than I'd been seeing I'd been seeing, naturally.. My conclusion was they were both right, so why leave out either's natural inclinations.. However, looks more like Higher and Lower Self today, in my humble opinion. Higher does tend to cut through the bs like that from Time to Time.

[@archismanchakrabarty9752]

Glad to see Wikipedia transcended to Unipedia in a few centuries.

[@creatip123]

"you're a culture of one" The next day, data establishes the "android church of data".....

[@Gordon519]

you mean the church of buster

[@squattingheads]

Scene ends* Picard looking up those sweet ferengi references

[@davidmurphy8364]

I majored in Bajoran aquaduct management.

[@thewatcher9545]

If only Patrick were capable of taking Jean-luc's advice.

[@nicholasdickens2801]

“Good luck Mr Data.” Now, back to Pornhub thinks Picard.😂😂

[@preppertrucker5736]

Picard at his best…

[@Rissamlu]

Profoundly sad how far Star Trek has fallen over the years.

[@davecrupel2817]

"The Ferengi view it as a sign of sexual prowess" Thats fucking kinky🤤😂😂😂

[@rufust33333333333333]

It’s hammer time

[@AkaiAzul]

Picard asserts that Data is a culture of one, but that is untrue. He is a culture of three (four depending on when he said it. The two other members are Dr. Soong and Lore (and his daughter Lan if she exists here), for family is inseparable from culture.

[@Skythikon]

How did Data read about thousands of philosophical systems and hundreds of psychological schools without encountering Freud's Interpretation of dreams, which more-or-less says what Picard does?

[@willisverynice]

Back to aqueducts.

[@ntchurchoffreethought6163]

Why do they have such TINY viewscreens instead of prohected large/immersive images?

[@upandaljm]

Never saw the sun...

[@nicholasjohnson6724]

ferengji see the hammer as sign of sexual prowess pmsl