How Star Trek Changed My Life
- Thread starter Brie
- Start date
I'd like to think that it saved my life, or at least made it a little less miserable. Despite what some may think of Gene Roddenberry, I wish that I could have thanked him personally for Trek, he certainly deserved it.
I am doing it right now, posting on this BBS, keeping the flame burning.
IrishNero
Commodore
There is no precedent. No other series in the history of television has spawned four more series, 11 movies and countless books, video games, fan conventions, etc. Three generations of people have been influenced by Trek, and a few of us have been carrying a torch for it much of our lives. Like most any other thing in life that touches me, moves me and helps to shape me, I wouldn't quite be who I am now without it.
Brie, thank you for your story, and help me confront something inside I hadn't realized I had....
I am an accepting person. I don't jduge, I don't hate. Sexuality, gender, race, religion.... I accept all, because people are who they are.
However, often I will see a picture of a beautiful woman in a geeky outfit, and think, 'great, another model who was payed to dress up as a sexy version of something or another'. Had I seen the picture you posted, that would have probably been my first instinct. However, with the post you made, it became clear that there is a story behind everyone, and although there certainly are 'sexy cosplayers' out there, who are models doing it for money, it means I need to realize I still have a prejudice to overcome. Thank you for sharing your story, and helping me realize something about myself.
I am an accepting person. I don't jduge, I don't hate. Sexuality, gender, race, religion.... I accept all, because people are who they are.
However, often I will see a picture of a beautiful woman in a geeky outfit, and think, 'great, another model who was payed to dress up as a sexy version of something or another'. Had I seen the picture you posted, that would have probably been my first instinct. However, with the post you made, it became clear that there is a story behind everyone, and although there certainly are 'sexy cosplayers' out there, who are models doing it for money, it means I need to realize I still have a prejudice to overcome. Thank you for sharing your story, and helping me realize something about myself.
I have experienced a lot of that form of biased and it always surprises me because to me I'm such I die hard fan that sometimes I think I have START TREK FAN tattooed across my head, and when other people comment about something like that I have to look back and say oh that's right not everyone knows me.Brie, thank you for your story, and help me confront something inside I hadn't realized I had....
I am an accepting person. I don't jduge, I don't hate. Sexuality, gender, race, religion.... I accept all, because people are who they are.
However, often I will see a picture of a beautiful woman in a geeky outfit, and think, 'great, another model who was payed to dress up as a sexy version of something or another'. Had I seen the picture you posted, that would have probably been my first instinct. However, with the post you made, it became clear that there is a story behind everyone, and although there certainly are 'sexy cosplayers' out there, who are models doing it for money, it means I need to realize I still have a prejudice to overcome. Thank you for sharing your story, and helping me realize something about myself.
I'm glad I could help you break your bias haha. I am a model and I do get paid to do shoots but I have never been paid to dress up in my Trek costume, or to go to conventions I do that because it is a passion of mine and I love Star Trek so much that I just want to slip into a world where I can pretend for a weekend that I AM a member of the enterprise and I AM traveling the stars.
Star Trek is so beyond special to me. It helped me be accepting of my weirdness (Because trust me it's there) I get to be me, the REAL me, for a few days and no one can say anything about it!
Thank you for the thank you
Another thing I don't think I specifically talked about in my story and another reason ST has changed my life, or more so enhanced it, is my father was a huge ST fan (TOS Specifically) when he was alive. Sadly he passed away a little over two years ago when I was 18. After his death when I was recounting some of our memories together I remembered he was a big ST fan. That's another reason I got into ST and why it has such a special place in my heart. It allows me to feel close to my dad even though he isn't alive anymore
Star Trek has been my favorite TV show for over 30 years and it will probably remain so until I get launched from a photo tube.
How has it changed my life?
I've never thought about it.
It makes me feel good when I'm down, it gives me hope, it makes me feel like there's the potential to meet a group of friends, it makes me feel adventurous, funny, friendly. I think the series runs the gamut of all the emotions. It's like a microcosm.
Kirk has always resonated with me. Strong, attractive, bold, yet vulnerable and funny.
How has it changed my life?
I've never thought about it.
It makes me feel good when I'm down, it gives me hope, it makes me feel like there's the potential to meet a group of friends, it makes me feel adventurous, funny, friendly. I think the series runs the gamut of all the emotions. It's like a microcosm.
Kirk has always resonated with me. Strong, attractive, bold, yet vulnerable and funny.
Star Trek did change my life. It sparked my imagination about possible futures. I gave me some hope that there could be a point in time when human beings have evolved beyond their current frailties. Hatred, discrimination, greed, avarice, arrogance, poverty, oppression... they may still exist, but be exceptions, occasional flaws... but the bulk of society will be free of those.
I really think we'll achieve that someday. But I'm afraid we're a long way off, given how things have been going. There is a solution. It is a multi-generational one. But it can work, if only people would let go of shortsightedness and learn the mantra of the farmer... planting seeds for the future.
I really think we'll achieve that someday. But I'm afraid we're a long way off, given how things have been going. There is a solution. It is a multi-generational one. But it can work, if only people would let go of shortsightedness and learn the mantra of the farmer... planting seeds for the future.
It's very refreshing to hear how many other people were strongly influenced by Star Trek throughout their life.
It's also interesting how many people found solace in the idea of a future where people aren't judged for their differences. I love hearing everyone else's stories of growing up with Star Trek.
It's also interesting how many people found solace in the idea of a future where people aren't judged for their differences. I love hearing everyone else's stories of growing up with Star Trek.
My dad is a Trek fan, and had VHS recorded episodes, which I found and enjoyed. I also still have Bjo Trimble's Star Trek Concordance that I would read again and again, trying to grasp all the concepts, since I could not always watch the episodes.
I cannot say that Star Trek shaped my life but it did influence it and open me up to the world of science fiction, which has certainly led me to explore more and more different aspects of scifi books, TV, games and the like.
I have always enjoyed different parts of the world building and discovering how Star Trek came together as a fictional world, and the changes it went through as GR developed his ideas, and the different series evolved.
I like the utopia idea, but that really is not the draw of the series. It is more the use of technology in a positive way that benefits humanity, and humanity working together regardless of differences.
Of all the characters, I always identified with Spock. I have felt like an outsider for the longest time, even among friends, so the concept and learning and being more logical has a certain appeal to me. I tended to be more emotional when I was younger, so logic definitely appealed to me.
I have done the costuming thing, and hope to continue to do so as time and money allow. I enjoy discussing all the minutia of Trek (and science fiction in general), and appreciate other points of view, even when I don't agree.
Finally, Brie, thank you for sharing your story, as well as your service. I hope you find this place to be a fun one for exploring Trek more
I cannot say that Star Trek shaped my life but it did influence it and open me up to the world of science fiction, which has certainly led me to explore more and more different aspects of scifi books, TV, games and the like.
I have always enjoyed different parts of the world building and discovering how Star Trek came together as a fictional world, and the changes it went through as GR developed his ideas, and the different series evolved.
I like the utopia idea, but that really is not the draw of the series. It is more the use of technology in a positive way that benefits humanity, and humanity working together regardless of differences.
Of all the characters, I always identified with Spock. I have felt like an outsider for the longest time, even among friends, so the concept and learning and being more logical has a certain appeal to me. I tended to be more emotional when I was younger, so logic definitely appealed to me.
I have done the costuming thing, and hope to continue to do so as time and money allow. I enjoy discussing all the minutia of Trek (and science fiction in general), and appreciate other points of view, even when I don't agree.
Finally, Brie, thank you for sharing your story, as well as your service. I hope you find this place to be a fun one for exploring Trek more
Brie,
I think I can speak for all of us here when I say, thank you for your service to our country, and thank you for being here. You definitely bring a ray of sunshine, and a breath of fresh air to this forum.
Let me go out on a limb a little bit here, and say that at my age of 60, I get the feeling I'm probably older than most members here. But that almost seems (as Seven-Of-Nine would say) irrelevant, in that Star Trek is essentially timeless.
Star Trek (TOS of course) stole my heart away from Lost in Space, which in turn had stolen my heart away from Fireball XL5... but I digress. As a teenager in the 60's, it was a very different era than what we enjoy here. I watched every episode as they originally aired back then. While today we have technology which lets us see every episode and every movie ever made, anytime we want, imagine what it was like, really not knowing what next week's episode was gonna be!
How did Star Trek change my life? First, you have to understand (or remember?) the social climate of the 60's. Vietnam was raging... The Soviets were rattling their sabers in the height of the Cold War... And many teenagers of that time woke up each morning not knowing if this was gonna be their last day on Earth.
Enter the Great Bird himself, Gene Roddenberry. His vision was: It's OK, We WILL have a future, and we're gonna get through this.
Look around you. Gene was right. We're still here.
I think I can speak for all of us here when I say, thank you for your service to our country, and thank you for being here. You definitely bring a ray of sunshine, and a breath of fresh air to this forum.
Let me go out on a limb a little bit here, and say that at my age of 60, I get the feeling I'm probably older than most members here. But that almost seems (as Seven-Of-Nine would say) irrelevant, in that Star Trek is essentially timeless.
Star Trek (TOS of course) stole my heart away from Lost in Space, which in turn had stolen my heart away from Fireball XL5... but I digress. As a teenager in the 60's, it was a very different era than what we enjoy here. I watched every episode as they originally aired back then. While today we have technology which lets us see every episode and every movie ever made, anytime we want, imagine what it was like, really not knowing what next week's episode was gonna be!
How did Star Trek change my life? First, you have to understand (or remember?) the social climate of the 60's. Vietnam was raging... The Soviets were rattling their sabers in the height of the Cold War... And many teenagers of that time woke up each morning not knowing if this was gonna be their last day on Earth.
Enter the Great Bird himself, Gene Roddenberry. His vision was: It's OK, We WILL have a future, and we're gonna get through this.
Look around you. Gene was right. We're still here.
I think the idea of a utopia is what REALLY a drew me in, it's always interesting to see how different people who love the same show can have different things that draw them to it.My dad is a Trek fan, and had VHS recorded episodes, which I found and enjoyed. I also still have Bjo Trimble's Star Trek Concordance that I would read again and again, trying to grasp all the concepts, since I could not always watch the episodes.
I cannot say that Star Trek shaped my life but it did influence it and open me up to the world of science fiction, which has certainly led me to explore more and more different aspects of scifi books, TV, games and the like.
I have always enjoyed different parts of the world building and discovering how Star Trek came together as a fictional world, and the changes it went through as GR developed his ideas, and the different series evolved.
I like the utopia idea, but that really is not the draw of the series. It is more the use of technology in a positive way that benefits humanity, and humanity working together regardless of differences.
Of all the characters, I always identified with Spock. I have felt like an outsider for the longest time, even among friends, so the concept and learning and being more logical has a certain appeal to me. I tended to be more emotional when I was younger, so logic definitely appealed to me.
I have done the costuming thing, and hope to continue to do so as time and money allow. I enjoy discussing all the minutia of Trek (and science fiction in general), and appreciate other points of view, even when I don't agree.
Finally, Brie, thank you for sharing your story, as well as your service. I hope you find this place to be a fun one for exploring Trek more
That's another thing I love about TOS trek, it came at a time when we were struggling as a nation and I loved how trek used their episodes to work as an idiom for current issues at the time.
And this is one of the things that SF (speculative fiction, both fantasy and sci-fi) does best is comment on current events without being on-the-nose in their references. "Let that be your last battlefield" is probably one of my favorites for that, with "Balance of Terror" being a close second.
Star Trek definitely has done some good in my life. I have some health issues and knowing that technology is advancing everyday gives me hope. The idea of living in a world where my issues would no longer exist is very appealing. Secondly, and this is very difficult for me to write but since we are all getting personal. I'm gay. I've struggled with it for over a decade. I'm kind of out, a little. My family is completely unaccepting and chooses to live in denial. It's nice to imagine a world with no prejudice or hate. Where everyone is treated equally. Then there's Spock. In the past few weeks I've really gotten to know Spock, as others have said, him being a loner, different, has helped. I think that if I were to have a conversation with him about it he would probably say "It is illogical to fear what other people think."
So yeah, that's it.
So yeah, that's it.
Janeway's Girl:
Sorry to hear you have health issues bothering your life. Good health is something one tends to take for granted... until it's no longer there. Yes, it would so cool to walk into Sickbay, activate the Doctor's EMH, and have him wave his little medical tricorder and fix all our problems... with no copay even.
And yes, you struck an interesting note in your compairon between your struggles with being gay, and Spock's struggles with not fitting fully into either of his 'home' worlds. I've observed that over the decades, I have had a number of gay friends who have been attracted to Star Trek. I wonder if it was the Spock effect all along.
Fireproof78:
YES! "Balance Of Terror" is an alltime favorite here too. Mark Lenard playing a completely new (if short) role other than Sarek. Did you know (well I'm sure you did) that this episode was plot-cloned from a WWII movie named "The Enemy Below"? WWII Destroyer = Enterprise. German U-Boat = The Romulan Warbird. You can even parallel the dialog to an amazing degree.
I've got a Star Trek joke, but being the Newb that I am here, OK to put it here, or should it go somewhere else?
Sorry to hear you have health issues bothering your life. Good health is something one tends to take for granted... until it's no longer there. Yes, it would so cool to walk into Sickbay, activate the Doctor's EMH, and have him wave his little medical tricorder and fix all our problems... with no copay even
.And yes, you struck an interesting note in your compairon between your struggles with being gay, and Spock's struggles with not fitting fully into either of his 'home' worlds. I've observed that over the decades, I have had a number of gay friends who have been attracted to Star Trek. I wonder if it was the Spock effect all along.
Fireproof78:
YES! "Balance Of Terror" is an alltime favorite here too. Mark Lenard playing a completely new (if short) role other than Sarek. Did you know (well I'm sure you did) that this episode was plot-cloned from a WWII movie named "The Enemy Below"? WWII Destroyer = Enterprise. German U-Boat = The Romulan Warbird. You can even parallel the dialog to an amazing degree.
I've got a Star Trek joke, but being the Newb that I am here, OK to put it here, or should it go somewhere else?
