Startrek TNG, when Cardassian captured picard and tortured him...

[legolas_w]

Hi,

I am wondering whether anyone know why that Cardassian was asking picard to say there are 5 lights there instead of 4? It happened in Episode 11 of season 6.

I tried wikipedia but it says nothing about the reason of asking that question and forcing him to say there are 5 lights...

A video of the scene:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_eSwq1ewsU&NR=1

The wikipedia page of the episod:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chain_of_Command_(Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation)

[Sporkman]

He was just messing with him - trying to make him doubt his own senses, trying to rob him of his mental resistance.

[earthpigg]

The first step in breaking him. The torturer only turned it into a big deal because he believed it to be a big deal in Picard's head.

It certainly would be convenient for the Cardassian Empire to have the Captain of the Flagship of Starfleet a broken man in captivity, willing to reveal whatever secrets and make whatever statements asked of him.

That was a great episode.

This kind of thing happens in real life, btw. It is convienent to have an enemy prisoner of war willing to say whatever you tell him even if he firmly believes it to be untrue. Recall captured American troops making speeches and signing statements condemning US Involvement in Korea from their POW camp in North Korea. :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainwashing

Another great Star Trek franchise episode was the DS9 episode that preceded Romulan entry into the Dominion war. Paralleled similar shenanigans in Switzerland during WW2, and in Finland during the Cold War.

[3Miro]

You can condition a person into perfect obedience much in the same way as you can condition Pavlov's dog (it is harder the stronger the person, but it is doable). Do as I say and I am nice to you, resist and I will cause tremendous pain. The point with the number of lights is to make a person release his/her own thinking. Do as I say AND don't think about it. Obey, even if the order contradicts reality. Obedience earns a reward, resistance or any independent thought causes tremendous pain.

This was the point of the lights and the point of the Cardassian torturer being so nice to Picard every now and then.

[MisterGaribaldi]

In one of many convention speeches that Patrick Stewart has given, he talked at length about that particular episode and said he wanted to do it to shed light on the cruelty of torture. I don't recollect if he had a pre-existing interest and knowledgeability in the subject, or if he acquired it as a result of that story, but he's been active in the anti-torture community since. He's also active in organizations which fight against domestic and child abuse because of his own childhood experiences.

Just food for thought...

[NightwishFan]

I will have to watch this episode. I think I am only as far as season 4.

[standingwave]

He was trying to stop Patrick Stewart from chewing the scenery.

[Dustin2128]

I will have to watch this episode. I think I am only as far as season 4.
Oh my god! He hasn't seen every single episode of STTNG at least 4 times! BURN THE HERETIC!

[NightwishFan]

Oh my god! He hasn't seen every single episode of STTNG at least 4 times! BURN THE HERETIC!

Soon enough! Hold the torches! :)

[Naiki Muliaina]

I think I saw that episode... Was a good one too I think. :D

Edit :

Forgot why I was posting... From WIKI!


Reception

Madred's test using four lights is an homage to George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, in which O'Brien tortures Winston Smith until Smith admits that he sees five fingers when O'Brien only holds up four.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chain_of_Command_%28Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation %29 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chain_of_Command_%28Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation %29)

[Aquix]

I'm so glad I don't know the answer to this :P

[legolas_w]

Thanks for all answers. I think that episode and the inner light episode are the saddest episodes in TNG.

[Ranko Kohime]

Hi,

I am wondering whether anyone know why that Cardassian was asking picard to say there are 5 lights there instead of 4? It happened in Episode 11 of season 6.
Orwellian Double-think.

Read George Orwell's "1984" for a more in-depth explanation. :)

[Spr0k3t]

Of all the episodes, it's one of my favorite. Two others beat it though. Patrick Stewart saying he wanted to do it showing the cruelty of torture just trumps it.

<shaking violently> There are FOUR lights! </shaking violently>