Na empresa: Julgamento , aprendemos que o Império Klingon tem estado em declínio (intelectual) muito sério por gerações, culminando nos dias atuais em que os klingons adolescentes vêem ciência, engenharia, ensino e advocacia como profissões a serem evitadas devido a uma percepção de que a honra só pode ser obtida através da guerra :
ARCHER: There are other classes?
KOLOS: You didn't believe all Klingons were soldiers?
ARCHER: I guess I did.
KOLOS: My father was a teacher. My mother, a biologist at the university. They encouraged me to take up the law. Now all young people want to do is take up weapons as soon as they can hold them. They're told there's honour in victory, any victory. What honour is there in a victory over a weaker opponent? Had Duras destroyed that ship he would have been lauded as a hero of the Empire for murdering helpless refugees. We were a great society not so long ago, when honour was earned through integrity and acts of true courage, not senseless bloodshed.
Essa atitude continua prevalecendo séculos depois. De acordo com Beverly Crusher em TNG: Suspeitas , sua impressão é que os cientistas de Klingon ainda são vistos com pouca luz:
BEVERLY : Kurak was a warp field specialist on the Klingon Homeworld. I don't think Klingons regard scientists very highly... she always seemed a little defensive.