Comments on: Treknobabble #31: Why I Believe in Star Trek

By: Maria

Maria — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 17:00:49 +0000

Speaking historically, you can’t have a reliable opinion. Even if theoretically there are no anequalities any more, you can search every social survey you want about education and employment between men and women. When these differ, it’s obvious that what they have done for the world will differ.

By: Reed Farrington

Reed Farrington — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 21:09:30 +0000

Sorry if I offended you, Maria. I was speaking historically.

I think Kirk would be aghast if the differences between men and women were to disappear in the future.

Not to raise your ire more, but I am disappointed that “feminists” haven’t done more for the world in the past few decades.

By: Maria

Maria — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 20:38:46 +0000

Do you know why i believe in star trek? I can’t count.. peace, no rich and poor, no racism,no polution, better medicine.. and no man and woman!
“Man has always been the explorer. (And I’m not using “man” as a generic term for the human race. I think females are more often the nurturer. I’m speaking historically based on biology.”
i believe that you should be shamed! You believe in star trek and you judge an entire gender based in ages where women weren’t concidered humans! Janeway is my precept because she would put glasses on your face.

By: Henrik

Henrik — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 11:33:22 +0000

Is there really more merchandise for Star Wars than for Star Trek though?

By: Reed Farrington

Reed Farrington — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 04:44:52 +0000

Henrik, you raise an interesting point. But if it was purely for merchandise, one would think that I would have switched my allegiance to Star Wars.

BTW, I can’t believe all the merchandise that came out for the Clone Wars movie.

By: Henrik

Henrik — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 23:24:09 +0000

So with Star Trek, is it really the ideals and philosophies that you like, or just the fact that there is so much merchandise to collect? Seems to me your brain is perfect for collecting minutia, and Star Trek is the arbitrary artificial universe you ended up collecting. I wonder…

By: Reed Farrington

Reed Farrington — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 22:41:45 +0000

ProjectGenesis, I’ve thought about doing that, but I was afraid the topic would be of minimal interest. Since my obsessive collection includes everything cast members have been involved with, I think I am in a good position to talk about this stuff.

I recently snagged a Sylar paper mask used in promoting the upcoming season of Heroes. (Jay made fun of me for getting one.)

I also recently picked up Night of the Lepus, which is about giant killer bunnies! (Deforest Kelley (Dr. McCoy) has a role in it.)

By: ProjectGenesis

ProjectGenesis — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:32:49 +0000

I think an interesting Treknobabble would be about the fandom involving the other projects members of the cast of Star Trek have been involved in. Like The Supernaturals starring Nichelle Nichols and a pre-TNG LeVar Burton!!!

By: SolesGirlRachel

SolesGirlRachel — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 17:35:37 +0000

I’m overtired from trying to turn my usual sleep-at-day, up-all-night rhythm into the opposite in time for a family trip next week (it’ll be the first I’ve seen of any of the family since Xmas), via staying up for 24 hours.

So I’ll comment properly (and lengthily) once my brain is working again. For now I’ll say the first thing that came to mind: I am jealous of that awesome Spock poster and extremely jealous of your hanging K9 space-station model. But in a good way. *hugs*

Fondly,

Rachel

By: Henrik

Henrik — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 23:14:14 +0000

I actually liked the format of this one with the changing paragraphs. The third person stuff is just poor taste and tacky.

The whole father issue is probably not something to get into over a Star Trek column.

By: Reed Farrington

Reed Farrington — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 22:33:30 +0000

Henrik, I thought you were going to say what Deven said about me being “a bit all over the place.” I still remember how you criticized my use of the third person when referring to myself in Treknobabble #2. But you were probably sparing my feelings, so thx.

BTW, I was probably a bit harsh on my dad. There were unfinished thoughts that I excised from the article. These thoughts would have softened the relationship I have with my dad. Ever since my mom passed away, he’s taken over my mom’s role, even so far as continuing to provide me with “care” packages to take home after a visit. I know Spock and Sarek loved each other even though they were not allowed to openly express the feeling.

Deven, thx for sharing some things about yourself. I like to read about how Star Trek has affected people. You’re right about me being all over the place in the article. I was being experimental again. My personal flashbacks were supposed to be tied more into the main text, but I was getting tired and I thought maybe the reader would add their own connections. I was being a “lazy artist” in letting the audience come up with its own interpretations.

JakeTheFatMan, thx for reading. You’ve pointed out one of the main criticisms of Star Trek in that the Federation seems like it’s exploring and expanding its frontier by homogenizing other cultures to share human ideals. The Federation is seen as the United States spreading its brand of democracy. Offhand, I can’t think of an episode of Star Trek that showed humans learning something from aliens. I laugh when I think of Capt. Kirk ruining an “ideal” society controlled by a computer just because he thinks life is meant to have its ups and downs and people should think for themselves.

Canada tried to be multi-cultural by supporting peoples’ attempts to maintain their culture when they immigrated. But the kids, the next generation so to speak, were wont to ignore their parents’ homeland culture. As for myself, I’m somewhat embarrassed at being unable to speak Chinese competently.

By: JakeTheFatMan

JakeTheFatMan — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 21:21:40 +0000

This is a bit off topic, but would a country be ‘multi-cultural’ if the different cultures have been assimilated?

Pardon my complete ignorance of Star Trek, except what I gather from reading some of these articles, but it sounds to me that the positive view of humanity that the show portrays is based on assimilation. There are different human races, but they have all assimilated to one homogenous cultural. To me thats a scarey thought.