star trek vs star wars in five minutes question

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by Gerbil13, Jan 16, 2014.

  1. Locutus of Bored

    Locutus of Bored Yo, Dawg! I Heard You Like Avatars... In Memoriam

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    And small communicators existed before Star Trek (the wristwatch radio from Dick Tracy, for instance), yet that doesn't stop people from claiming that Star Trek's communicators influenced the cell phone, nor should it, because it did. Just because something existed in basic form earlier doesn't mean a later work can't offer inspiration as well. Your problem is that you whittle everything down to an all or nothing approach.

    It's both, and so is Star Trek, albeit leaning more toward the science fiction end of things than Star Wars does.

    And Star Trek is "Wagon Train to the Stars" (according to Roddenberry himself) with a healthy dose of Forbidden Planet thrown in. Are you going to dismiss it completely now too, or realize that everything nowadays is derivative of some earlier work(s) and that there's nothing wrong with that?

    I completely disagree that Star Wars is not artistic, but that's entirely subjective. Although I'm sure you've somehow managed to convince yourself it's fact.

    No way. Ya think? Maybe that absurdity is why no one else took it particularly seriously except you?

    Oh, you did think you were spouting facts not opinions. I was right after all.

    Why would I have to expound upon anything? I provided actual evidence of people across multiple technical fields, including robotics, who were inspired by Star Wars, and you basically said, "nuh uh, I knew some guys..." Surely a debate pro like yourself must know that anecdotes mean next to nothing, and that appeals to authority aren't far behind.

    This never should have even been a debate. It was a silly, lighthearted topic which you came in and turned ultra-serious and hostile, as you've done across the board in your brief time here.
     
  2. sidious618

    sidious618 Admiral Admiral

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    In regards to Star Wars' artistic merits, it's worth nothing how many writers/directors were inspired by it, such as JJ Abrams, Damon Lindelof, and JMS off the top of my head.
     
  3. Thestral

    Thestral Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Derivative or not, trying to pretend that Star Wars has no artistic merit is laughable.

    As to the OP, everybody knows they'd all be stomped by the High Guard anyway. :shifty:
     
  4. cooleddie74

    cooleddie74 Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Just because Star Wars isn't set in our own galaxy and on Earth and doesn't spout a plethora of technobabble every five minutes or so doesn't mean it doesn't hold a lot of artistic value for millions and hasn't triggered a wave of positive and creative inspiration in the minds of many people who grew up with and were influenced by the Saga, whether they saw their very first film in 1977 or towards the end of the last decade.

    So what if Star Wars references swordsmanship, martial arts and physical acrobatics that a real life karate or kung fu master wouldn't think are particularly realistic nor rooted in real, established history? Since when is the Sensei at the Kix-A-Lot Dojo next to the Burrito Hut a certified expert on the content and social validity of a sci-fi/fantasy franchise that's been a global cultural phenomenon for close to forty years? And even if he somehow were, why would we care? It'd just be yet another opinion.
     
  5. Neroon

    Neroon Mod of Balance Moderator

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    You've been given chance to settle in and get used to the environment here, yet you persist in this kind of comment.
    Infraction for trolling. Send your comments to mods via private messages, please
     
  6. Sindatur

    Sindatur The Gray Owl Wizard Admiral

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    Yea, it really doesn't matter if a particular line of research or Product existed previously. Typically, if someone is inspired into a field by a movie, it would be their "First Experience of that Level" (Wether that Level be the effects, or the way the storyline made the light click on, or the first time they had seen that particular Derivative story plot...)

    So, all that really matters is if it had a profound effect of inspiration on you (Even if what it inspired you to do is already old hat). I'm sure there are truckloads of Engineers or other Sciency Professions who grew up in the 70s/80s/90s were inspired by Both Star Wars and Star Trek equally.
     
  7. Gerbil13

    Gerbil13 Ensign Newbie

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    I think people have misunderstood what this thread was about, it wasn't about who would win but rather making a point about why its inaccurate to compare shows using actual science and the tech manuals.