In one episode (the second to last episode in the fourth season - Journey's End), The Doctor (main character, very important) is accidentally cloned with only one difference between himself and the clone: the clone is half Time Lord, half human. Being half human, Clone Doctor does not have the same firm moral standing against genocide (only in this particular case, which is the Daleks trying to destroy 27 different worlds and become the only remaining species in the universe - so it's one genocide over 27). However, because Clone Doctor commits genocide by destroying the Daleks, he is forced to live in a parellel universe for the rest of his half-human life.
Even in a weird, british sci-fi television series, genocide is both present and still considered the "ultimate evil". It's interesting to me that a fictional series would present such a serious topic as genocide on such a level that all viewers are aware that it's happening, and that even though it is being used for the "greater good", it is still the worst thing imaginable. So why openly discuss something when it is only sad and makes the viewer sad? I think because it needs to be discussed and understood in order to prevent it (although I'm sure I will never in this lifetime see an alternative to genocide when it happens so frequently and so little attentino is paid to it).
As part of this recent small group discussion, I definitely think that your idea about someone arriving on another planet and accidentally killing alien creatures is interesting. It gets to the heart of the idea of intent--if somehow an entire race is almost or entirely destroyed by someone ignorant of what effect they were causing, does it truly count as genocide? As we’ve seen in class, this is a subject that is still hotly debated today involving so called genocides such as the cases of Latin America and Australia. In those cases, disease played a large part in the destruction of the indigenous groups, which is analogous to your idea of unintended alien destruction.
ReplyDeleteI am only somewhat familiar with Doctor Who, but I do understand some basics about the show and know that it is extremely popular. I was surprised to learn, however, that genocide played such a large role in the series. I think it’s fascinating that such a popular and beloved television show would feature an idea of genocide as being the “number one evil,” let alone include the idea of genocide at all. And such a harsh punishment as turning the entire universe against anyone who commits genocide certainly drives the point home. I do think it’s important, as surprised as I am, for a show like Doctor Who to have messages such as this one in its programming. Growing up, I had barely any idea of what genocide was because I was not exposed to the idea through popular media that I consumed. Up until this class in fact, the only exposure I had had to genocide was reading Night by Elie Wiesel in eighth grade, and reading the Harry Potter books. I think it is a very good idea to include genocide in Doctor Who because people watching it will be forced to consider instances of genocide in their own lives, and be more aware of the actions of their own states that may be leading to such an event. Perhaps you’re right, and Doctor Who may prevent the next horrific genocide?
Doctor Who has a very interesting relationship to the concept of genocide. If I recall correctly and if wiki is correct, Terry Nation the screenwriter who created the Daleks consciously based them on the Nazis (Nation was alive for World War II), so they were essentially designed to be authoritarian hate filled race. And I would agree for the most part that genocide is treated as the ultimate evil but one instant it doesn't comes to mind. In Season 6's 'Day of The Moon', The Doctor discovers that this season's Big Baddies, the Silence, have been controlling humanity and it's technological advancements for centuries for some unexplained purpose ( its to make a weapon to kill the Doctor),and the Doctor uses their powers of manipulation against them by convincing every person on Earth to 'kill every one of them on sight'. And this is treated as a good thing. Is it not genocide because the Silence are inherently bad? And also its pretty interesting to note that the Doctor pretty much brainwashes the human race into killing an alien race (also pretty weird considering as soon as you turn around you no longer remember the creature, so its like committing murder and not even remembering you did it.) So to me at least, Doctor Who's relationship with genocide is pretty interesting.
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