Is there a recipe for becoming a trekkie?

Discussion in 'Miscellaneous' started by amickschl15, Jul 13, 2013.

  1. amickschl15

    amickschl15 Cadet Newbie

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    Jul 13, 2013
    Hello everyone, I'm new, and there's a few things I want to know. i just got into Star Trek about 6 months ago, and I don't confess to be a trekkie. I know I have quite a long way to go! But my question is, is there a special method to becoming a trekkie? Is it just watching episodes frequently, or following the franchise? Someday I hope to be able to call myself a trekkie, (Even though 99.9% of my friends couldn't care less about Star Trek!) and I want to know an efficient and effective way to achieve it! Any ideas? Where should I start?
     
  2. StolenThunder

    StolenThunder Poster Premium Member

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    I think it involves a drug screen and a bribe.

    Just keep watching!
     
  3. marksound

    marksound Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    If you enjoy watching Star Trek and don't deny it in public, you're a Trekkie.

    There's no initiation, no dues, no test. We come in all shapes, sizes, colors, intensity of enthusiasm, etc.

    Just enjoy it and be yourself.
     
  4. Nerys Myk

    Nerys Myk A Spock and a smile Premium Member

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    Watch Star Trek. Enjoy it. Repeat.
     
  5. CorporalClegg

    CorporalClegg Admiral Admiral

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    In a medium skillet, bring a half-stick of awesome to a nice sauté. As the awesome starts to brown, mix in the traditional mirepoix of pedant carrots, pessimistic onion, and verbose celery.

    Store in a cool place away from sunlight.

    Serve with a modest helping of collectables and paraphernalia.

    Garnish with a sombrero.
     
  6. marksound

    marksound Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Sombrero. Nice touch. :)
     
  7. YellowSubmarine

    YellowSubmarine Vice Admiral Admiral

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    The more Trek shows and films you vehemently hate, the better Trekkie status you achieve. As long as you regard one of them as the one and only true Trek that follows Gene's vision (preferably The Original Series or The Next Generation, but with enough passion anything will do, really). It is also a neat trick to avoid having to watch more than one.

    Develop some selective amnesia - conveniently forget any episodes of your favourite series that weren't any good, and never acknowledge their existence. IMDB is also a nice source of Trekkieness. Pick the episode of any series rated in the top 10, and start a thread slamming it as overrated and not really that good. That gives you bonus points that fire you directly into Trekkiehood.


    Oh, you mean a trekkie like someone who actually enjoys Star Trek? How quaint. It's a rare thing these days.
     
  8. HaventGotALife

    HaventGotALife Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2011
    Well, my personal experience is have a brother and father that are obsessed with it. :lol:

    The qualities that I found enriched Star Trek for me as an adult are as follows:

    -- Contemplate the cosmos. Have a knowledge about the history of the space program and have some enthusiasm for it. If you wanted to be an astronaut, even if you know nothing about science, even better. Imagine what it would be like to live in Star Trek's world where we know there's alien life on other planets. Consider the politics, and social effects, of having that life in the history of humanity. Think about how to communicate with something that doesn't look or act like us. Think about how you would handle being in space for all that time. These are questions the writers handle.

    -- Have a passing understanding of the social sciences, science, arts, and literature. Yes, these are astronauts, but they also deal in psychology, sociology, philosophy, literature, and they are learned enough, both the characters and the writers, to have a 101 level discussion about each. These are some of the richest moments of the series. If you want just a shoot-em-up Sci-Fi show, Star Trek pales in comparison (because it's so old) to other series. If they reference something you do not know about, take some time to do a Google search, or better yet, read up on it. Star Trek can be a gateway into learning.

    -- Contemplate History. There are tons of references within Star Trek. It deepens the material (and sometimes you see things coming) when they make references. Think about Star Trek as a living history of the world. You are seeing history as it happens. Know something about the colonization of the Americas. That's the new world we've actually explored.

    -- As with all television and literature, have some understanding of dramatic structure. Know when they are talking to the themes of the show, Star Trek puts it in dialogue which is why it's not critically acclaimed, and that will make it easy to understand. Think about what's a good episode's structure and a bad one. But, then again, this goes for all television.

    --Love the characters. Take each character and learn something about them. Remember, there's going to be a lot of Trek that doesn't serve the story (not my favorite Trek), but is simply background into who these people are. They are clearly defined characters that have differences because Star Trek wants to "take delight" in differences.

    -- Find someone to discuss the show with. Moral dilemmas, dramatic moments, historical, scientific, and social references, all of it is discussed on here some 20 years since the majority of Trek has gone away. There's a reason for that. Contemplate the episode, see what you can get out of it, put your opinion out there, and have an open mind enough to hear someone else's take on it. Trekbbs can do this. It's better to have friends (as I did) that watch the show with you.

    I don't know if you want to do all of that, but that's what keeps me coming back to Star Trek. I have watched since I was 5-years-old and it still feeds my mind.
     
  9. marksound

    marksound Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Yeah, all that stuff isn't necessary to be a Trekkie.

    If you want to be an Uber Nerd, well ... :lol:
     
  10. HaventGotALife

    HaventGotALife Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    True. :lol: I think someone said it up-thread. Like Star Trek and watch. Don't deny it in public.
     
  11. Pondwater

    Pondwater Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Be conceived and born into Trekkieness.
     
  12. Portal

    Portal Commander Red Shirt

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    Isn't one of the ingredients living in your parent's basement when you're over 18? Don't you have to have some weirdness about you?
     
  13. CorporalClegg

    CorporalClegg Admiral Admiral

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    I think you just uncovered the title of the next film.
     
  14. marksound

    marksound Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    In the dictionary, next to "Oh Dear Lord, No!" :guffaw:

    Not necessary for Trekkie-ism.
     
  15. Zulu Romeo

    Zulu Romeo World Famous Starship Captain Admiral

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    Some are born into Trekkieness. Some others achieve Trekkieness. Others still have Trekkieness thrust upon them.

    For me, it was the will of the miditricorderians that conceived my trekkieness into existence. That, and watching Star Trek III many times.
     
  16. Portal

    Portal Commander Red Shirt

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    Well I always thought you had to be a freak of some kind. Sort of like those people living on Mars in Total Recall.
     
  17. Captrek

    Captrek Vice Admiral Admiral

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    The Two Commandments of Trekkism:

    1. Thou shalt watch Star Trek. Consuming Trek entertainment in other forms — books, comics, games, soundtracks, paraphernalia, etc. — is also encouraged.

    2. Thou shalt share thy love of Trek with others. Watch it with friends and family, or discuss it with them. Attending conventions and making new friends through Star Trek is especially praiseworthy. If you're a shut-in with no friends, you can still follow this commandment here on TrekBBS — kind of a cop-out, but at least it's something.
     
  18. Kommander

    Kommander Commodore Commodore

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    Yes there is. I had to be tied up, blindfolded, and ball-gaged while J and ShamelessMcBundy took turns spanking my ass with wooden spoons. I asked them if they were just trying to trick me, but they promised me this was an official ritual sanctioned by Gene Roddenberry himself and was totally legitimate.
     
  19. ITL

    ITL Vice Admiral Admiral

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    When they branded your arse with the IDIC symbol did they ask for a small fee to cover costs as they were a bit short right now but it's all cool and they'll totally pay you back and everything and it's all on the level honestly?

    Because it's true. They totally will. I'm expecting a check in the post any day now.

    Any day now.
     
  20. iguana_tonante

    iguana_tonante Admiral Admiral

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    They were not spoons. Albeit, there was some kind of "wood" involved.