I attended public schools in my home state of CT as well as a few years in SD. Both states pushed that the main factors of the civil war were political and economical and that slavery only got mixed up in the equation once the emancipation proclamation was signed in 1863, 2 years into the war. I've never done much research on my own (American history and especially war history has always bored the Dickens out of me) but that's something I think i'll look into.
[more nerd] and even if he did have the needed ocular implants, that's NOT how his visor works. It registers energy patterns, radiation, and various elements in the environment. He doesn't actually "see" with it. Not only is the view through Geordi's visor shown to us in the series - there's also an episode where Q gives him real sight briefly and he can finally see everyone and is moved by it. [/more nerd]
WRONG. The rose doesn't go until his 21st birthday, it goes until his 21st year. Obviously he was not 11 when he was transformed - please note the portrait he tears up and Belle subsequently finds. It's how he looks at the end of the movie, not a child. While a beast his human form has not aged. As for the "10 years we've been rusting" line, the most likely explanation is that the castle has only been essentially abandoned for 10 years. The castle would have been full of people when the enchantress came by, even though there was a beast it would have taken years for people to stop coming. Odds are some knew about the curse and his need to find love and even brought prospects for him (likely in hopes of political gain or money) and thereby the servants had something to do. People to take care of. Until they stopped 10 years ago.
in Star Trek TNG there's an episode where Beverly Crusher defends a ferengi scientist. He is nothing more than a scientist who lacks respect in an intergalactic cut throat universe. And as someone else mentioned, there was that episode with the lone borg who kinda had a personality.
while maybe somethings are broadly painted, if you take a decent look you'll find depth and variety in - i'm willing to wager - any sci-fi with a strong fan base. The fans don't go for one note worlds.
I'm not surprised, given that your youth was just before the computer era and your career had nothing to do with the oregon trail - why would you have heard of it, unless you had kids that told you about it (which apparently, did not happen)
while maybe somethings are broadly painted, if you take a decent look you'll find depth and variety in - i'm willing to wager - any sci-fi with a strong fan base. The fans don't go for one note worlds.