Well, in my own stories I've got a similar conflict--there is a policy of non-interference, but there are loopholes.
I think there is something to be said for the Prime Directive in some of these cases--for letting a culture work through issues its way, rather than imposing changes from the outside. I think in the case of the Federation it's a way to let people come to you on their own terms, instead of the "You are as amoebas to us" thing that will mess 'em up good.
Plus, who knows?--the aliens might come up with a REALLY AWESOME way of doing things nobody else has thought of.
However, two big things really piss me off about the Directive. One, as mentioned above, is the tendency just to let planets die when you save them, especially when you could without giving yourself away. The other is the tendency to wipe the memories of individuals who do manage to make contact. It's both a personal violation and also unnecessary--even if the person doesn't swear to keep quiet, you send them back babbling about how they got beamed into space. So maybe, if ANYBODY believes them, you get a cult, but really, you get those anyway. So why go to all the trouble?
no subject
I think there is something to be said for the Prime Directive in some of these cases--for letting a culture work through issues its way, rather than imposing changes from the outside. I think in the case of the Federation it's a way to let people come to you on their own terms, instead of the "You are as amoebas to us" thing that will mess 'em up good.
Plus, who knows?--the aliens might come up with a REALLY AWESOME way of doing things nobody else has thought of.
However, two big things really piss me off about the Directive. One, as mentioned above, is the tendency just to let planets die when you save them, especially when you could without giving yourself away. The other is the tendency to wipe the memories of individuals who do manage to make contact. It's both a personal violation and also unnecessary--even if the person doesn't swear to keep quiet, you send them back babbling about how they got beamed into space. So maybe, if ANYBODY believes them, you get a cult, but really, you get those anyway. So why go to all the trouble?