Half a Life Tenure

How Star Trek: The Next Generation predicted a current political problem

Jack Hughes this week managed to pull off writing about politics without mentioning Dan Quayle or Britney Spears. He starts with an acclaimed episode from the fourth season of Star Trek: The Next Generation that first aired in 1991 and loops back around to a political situation today.

by Jack Hughes

As we close in on what would have been Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry’s 100th birthday, I’ve started to go back and watch old episodes of various ‘Trek’ television series on Netflix. A recent favorite was the strong fourth season Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Half a Life,” a deep dive into the cultural practices of the planet Kaelon II. Given it aired back in 1991, 30 years ago now, I think I’m safe for spoilers.

The plot of “Half a Life” revolves around a Kaelonian scientist, Dr. Timicin, played with interstellar stoicism by David Ogden Stiers – perhaps best known for his role as doctor Major Charles Emerson Winchester III, M.D. on television’s M*A*S*H. The U.S.S. Enterprise under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard is tasked to help Dr. Timicin with an experiment which, if successful, could save his home planet.

The problem, we soon learn, is that Dr. Timicin is about to turn 60 – the age at which the people of Kaelon II submit to voluntary euthanasia by way of a “Resolution” ceremony. The purpose of Resolution is to ensure the elderly don’t become a burden to younger generations and, as a bonus, it gives everyone a fixed expiry date. (It’s said to be ‘heartless’ to shock loved ones by dying without notice at a random age.)

Timicin is convinced to seek asylum aboard the Enterprise by Lwaxana Troi, whom he’s fallen for. Troi is the mother of the ship’s counsellor, Lieutenant-Commander Deanna Troi, and is played by the ‘First Lady of Star Trek’ Majel Barrett who was Gene Roddenberry’s wife and appeared in multiple Star Trek series as, variously, Number One, Nurse Chapel, and the ubiquitous voice of every 24th century computer.

Unfortunately for Timicin, the people he’s working to save on Kaelon II are against his selfish decision – including his own daughter. They insist it’s time for him to go, even though he has a brilliant scientific mind and appears to be performing his job without ill-health or loss of cognitive function. Faced with mounting public pressure, Dr. Timicin ultimately gives in, goes back home, and goes ahead with the Resolution.

At this point, most of you will be wondering why (on Earth) did I spend 300 words regurgitating the plot of some show from 30 years ago? Regular readers may also be bothered by the fact I’m treading on the toes of The Experiment’s resident Star Trek expert Sonia Van Meter. Don’t worry, it’s time for one of my patented non sequiturs when I reveal this isn’t about the U.S.S. Enterprise at all but the U.S. Supreme Court!

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This isn’t about the U.S.S. Enterprise but the U.S. Supreme Court.

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Much like the public pressure faced by Timicin with respect to his Resolution, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is facing public pressure with respect to his retirement. Even though Justice Breyer has a brilliant legal mind and appears to be performing his job without ill-health or loss of cognitive function, there are millions of Americans – mostly among his fellow liberals – who insist it’s time for him to go. 

They, like the Kaelons, think it’d be heartless for Breyer to die on the bench (or retire) at some random age. They want him out now, while Democrats have a thin majority in the Senate, so that President Biden can appoint someone a lot younger to fill his seat. In support of this argument, they offer the cautionary tale of the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg whose death was untimely in the sense it was during the Trump presidency.

The question for Breyer and Timicin is at what age should we walk off the stage. In the kind of cosmic coincidence that often happens in the Star Trek universe, Gene Roddenberry died in 1991, the same year that “Half a Life” aired. He was 70. His two main captains have lived much longer lives: Patrick Stewart (Captain Picard) is still Trekking at age 81 and William Shatner (Captain James T. Kirk) is a vibrant 90.

Breyer is turning 83 years old on August 15th (which just happens to be a few days shy of Gene Roddenberry’s centenary on August 19th). Justice Ginsburg served until her death at age 87 and Breyer also served alongside Justice John Paul Stevens who didn’t retire from the Court until he was 90. It’s also worth recalling Breyer occupies the very seat vacated by Justice Harry Blackmun when he exited the Court at age 86.

On Star Trek, Timicin isn’t pressured to ‘resolve’ by anyone his age or older – there isn’t anyone on Kaelon II over the age of 60 – only those younger than him. Similarly, Justice Breyer isn’t getting pressured to ‘retire’ from 78-year-old President Biden or 81-year-old Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Perhaps the most influential Democrat who has spoken out in favor of Breyer’s retirement is 31-year-old Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

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The most influential Dem in favor of Breyer’s retirement is AOC.

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(Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who turns 71 this fall, recently wrote his Democratic caucus colleagues to let them know that, as always, they “stand ready to expeditiously fill any potential vacancies on the Supreme Court should they arise.” His office was clear, though, this was not intended to pressure Justice Breyer, it was only a ‘scheduling announcement’ about hypothetical things the Senate could do – like a Kaelon II mortuary advert telling Dr. Timicin about an upcoming coffin sale.)

Among the reasons Timicin has reservations about his ‘Resolution’ is the realization  any young scientist who takes his place wouldn’t have the qualifications, experience, or expertise to advance the crucial work to which he’s devoted his entire life. In his interview with CNN Legal Analyst and Supreme Court biographer Joan Biskupic, Justice Breyer made a similar point – his time served on the Court is a big advantage. 

As the third most senior justice, behind only Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Clarence Thomas, Breyer speaks third in conference when justices deliberate about decisions in private. Once a decision is reached, his seniority can allow him to assign who writes the Court’s reasons or, if he’s in the minority, dissents – and, yes, he can assign himself. Unsaid, but implied, Breyer’s successor won’t inherit those powers.

At the end of the Star Trek “Half a Life” episode, Dr. Timicin resigns himself to the fact that he must go ahead with his Resolution as he’s not the right person to lead a revolution. At the Supreme Court, Justice Breyer is, himself, unlikely to resign even if his departure is seen by some on the left as the best resolution for all their problems with the right. Breyer, unlike Timicin, is a leader and clearly isn’t the retiring type.

Jack Hughes is a communications consultant based in Canada. His previous contributions to The Experiment include “Same of Thrones,” “Tippecanoe and Agnew Anew,” “Harris / Shuri 2020,” “Bidenfeld,” “Firth and Firthiness,” “The Ballot of Bill McKay,” and “The World Wants ‘The West Wing,’” among others. His inexplicably extensive writings on Dan Quayle are “The Unusual Suspect,” “The Unusual Suspect II,” “The GOPfather,” “Porqua, CoQau?” and “Quayle’s Hunting Season.” Connect with him on LinkedIn here.  

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