They are not known for announcing: Now this is how I prefer the Borg.
Wars aside, Starfleet captains dont seem to want to even give a shot to understand the Borg.
But its Captain Janeway that seems to particularly hate them.
Janeway, as ever, ignores her, confident that being human is the best way to be.
A clue as to why is Janeways idolization ofThe Original SeriesCaptain Kirk.
Humanitys mythology is populated by cowboy heroes, and its no different inStar Trek.
Kirk himself is an obvious example, with his maverick command, and Janeway isnt the only one starry-eyed.
The hero worship isnt confined to Kirk.
Janeways crewman Paris plays at being the intergalactic swashbuckler Captain Proton on the Holodeck.
But its certainly not a kind of pride that the Borg would share.
Their knowledge, thoughts, and life experiences are brought to the group and shared with everyone.
In a hivemind, there are no heroes.
The ideal Borg is anonymous, one link in a chain.
An exceptional Borg is not Borg by definition.
Its a different view on identity, ethics, and purpose than Starfleets.
But that doesnt mean its objectively wrong.
Seven of Nine, at least at the beginning of herVoyagerstint, sees things the same way.
Even Janeway concedes the Borg have a harmony of purpose and thought.
But it also shows a 24th century in which humanity has yet to move past its own myths.
And if that stops it bridging gaps of understanding with radically different cultures, thats a tragedy.
