Gene Roddenberry Understood

In Star Trek, the crew of the Enterprise often encounters some primitive culture. One mandate the crew must follow is never to expose or give away technology. This mandate supposedly protects the primitive civilization from advancing too quickly, resulting in unforeseen catastrophes. Technology may be cool and help people achieve menial tasks, but there are also unforeseen negative impacts to technology. Even now as software and technology is being released at an ever increasing pace, we have consequences we have to deal with. As we advance independently, society gets to play the role in accepting a new technology along with its negative impacts, instead of taking the metaphorical blunt hammer, to the face, all at once. Without this, we would not choose to advance. After all, would we have allowed the internet to permeate our lives if we considered the NSA's role and ability before the web was as important as water?