inaction vs. futile action theme
Someone has no good options but must choose between doing nothing, or waste effort doing something that is most certainly pointless.
Examples
Captain Kirk and Commissioner Ferris debated whether to keep up the search for the Galileo shuttlecraft in tos1x13 "The Galileo Seven", even though it was almost certainly hopeless.
3 total · 2 major · 1 minor
| Story | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| tos1x13 | major | Kirk :: Captain Kirk and Commissioner Ferris debated whether to keep up the search for the Galileo shuttlecraft, even though it was almost certainly hopeless. |
| tz1959e3x14 | major | The Major insisted on a variety of ineffective escape attempts that the others poo-pooed as they'd rather do nothing at all. |
| voy2x06 | minor | discussion in the holodeck |