Trouble with Tribbles: Chekov Shopping

[Dohlman]

When Pavel and Uhura walk into the bar, he says Uhura wanted to do some shopping and he came to help her. When I was single, I couldn't get a straight man to come shopping with me unless he had a vested interest. Was the writer implying either Chekov swung both ways, or he and Uhura had something going on? Or do I have too much time on my hands?

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

As Spock said to Dr. McCoy at the end of "Yesteryear," times change. Times change. Nowadays, men, regardless of sexual identity, shop for pleasure and social interaction as consumer culture has become more and more part of daily life. Malls have become gathering town centers for men and women to come together. The last few generations have become more comfortable with the idea of "hanging out" at the mall, extrapolate that into the 23rd century and it may not be so far-fetched to have Chekov shopping with Uhura.

 

[Haytil]

I always thought it implied Chekov liked Uhura.

 

[Outpost4]

Deep Space Station K-7 was known throughout the quadrant for its sex toys shops, so Chekov new exactly what he was getting into.

 

[Dohlman]

As Spock said to Dr. McCoy at the end of "Yesteryear," times change. Times change. Nowadays, men, regardless of sexual identity, shop for pleasure and social interaction as consumer culture has become more and more part of daily life. Malls have become gathering town centers for men and women to come together. The last few generations have become more comfortable with the idea of "hanging out" at the mall, extrapolate that into the 23rd century and it may not be so far-fetched to have Chekov shopping with Uhura.

A very thoughtful post, but I thought it had to do with years of evolutionary imprinting. Men like to get in, buy, and get out. Women, on the other hand, like to look around, touch the clothes, smell perfume, and talk to people. Men are task oriented, women more experience oriented. Can the two mix without the suppression of natural tendencies?

 

[Dohlman]

I always thought it implied Chekov liked Uhura.

That's a possibility. Chekov, the younger man, crushing on the older woman.

 

[Dohlman]

Deep Space Station K-7 was known throughout the quadrant for its sex toys shops, so Chekov new exactly what he was getting into.

In that case, Cyrano Jones' purpose for the tribbles was far more...suggestive.

 

[nx1701g]

I always thought it implied Chekov liked Uhura.

That was what I thought too. I've gone shopping with female friends before though without an interest in them. Then again I did make the one jealous because a waitress gave me her number while I was with them.

 

[M'Sharak]

When Pavel and Uhura walk into the bar, he says Uhura wanted to do some shopping and he came to help her. When I was single, I couldn't get a straight man to come shopping with me unless he had a vested interest. Was the writer implying either Chekov swung both ways, or he and Uhura had something going on? Or do I have too much time on my hands?

The last one, I think.

Heya, Dohlman.

 

[Dohlman]

I always thought it implied Chekov liked Uhura.

That was what I thought too. I've gone shopping with female friends before though without an interest in them. Then again I did make the one jealous because a waitress gave me her number while I was with them.

Then perhaps you are the future of evolution.

 

[Dohlman]

When Pavel and Uhura walk into the bar, he says Uhura wanted to do some shopping and he came to help her. When I was single, I couldn't get a straight man to come shopping with me unless he had a vested interest. Was the writer implying either Chekov swung both ways, or he and Uhura had something going on? Or do I have too much time on my hands?

The last one, I think.

Heya, Dohlman.

Hi!

Er, did you have another name at one time?

 

[M'Sharak]

Er, did you have another name at one time?

Here? No, but this might be familiar.

 

[Dohlman]

Mudshark!

 

[ClayinCA]

I always thought it was clear why Uhura would need Chekov's help with this - after all, Russians invented shopping.

 

[Tralah]

I always thought it was clear why Uhura would need Chekov's help with this - after all, Russians invented shopping.

You mean "inwented shopping" right?

 

[M'Sharak]

I always thought it was clear why Uhura would need Chekov's help with this - after all, Russians invented shopping.

You mean "inwented shopping" right?

It was a little old lady from juuust outside Leningrad.

Mudshark!

The same.

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

As Spock said to Dr. McCoy at the end of "Yesteryear," times change. Times change. Nowadays, men, regardless of sexual identity, shop for pleasure and social interaction as consumer culture has become more and more part of daily life. Malls have become gathering town centers for men and women to come together. The last few generations have become more comfortable with the idea of "hanging out" at the mall, extrapolate that into the 23rd century and it may not be so far-fetched to have Chekov shopping with Uhura.

A very thoughtful post, but I thought it had to do with years of evolutionary imprinting. Men like to get in, buy, and get out. Women, on the other hand, like to look around, touch the clothes, smell perfume, and talk to people. Men are task oriented, women more experience oriented. Can the two mix without the suppression of natural tendencies?

I'm not sure that those absolutes exist anymore. Do men still like to get in and out? Yes. Do some like to stay and hang? Yes. For the girls? Maybe. For the boys? Maybe. For the shopping? Partly as we've been conditioned to consume and desire material things that perhaps we don't really need. Advertising and the urban dream try to break us of that "evolutionary" tendency.

Malls, at least those in America, have replaced the town meeting hall and social as a place to gather. The architecture is also reflective of trying to recapture that old-time market place, town center and promenade, especially if you look at the malls of Los Angeles and San Diego. There is a whole study dedicated to this, particularly the work of Paco Underhill. I even teach a module on this very subject to my freshmen class on Semiotics.

But going back to when I was a teenager, I as a male interested in girls would hang out at the mall without a specific purpose in mind (okay, girls was the main one if there was one). To this day, my male friends and I will go to the mall and just hangout, eat and shop, even for clothes (Yikes! How un-masculine of us!).

 

[Timewalker]

As Spock said to Dr. McCoy at the end of "Yesteryear," times change. Times change. Nowadays, men, regardless of sexual identity, shop for pleasure and social interaction as consumer culture has become more and more part of daily life. Malls have become gathering town centers for men and women to come together. The last few generations have become more comfortable with the idea of "hanging out" at the mall, extrapolate that into the 23rd century and it may not be so far-fetched to have Chekov shopping with Uhura.

A very thoughtful post, but I thought it had to do with years of evolutionary imprinting. Men like to get in, buy, and get out. Women, on the other hand, like to look around, touch the clothes, smell perfume, and talk to people. Men are task oriented, women more experience oriented. Can the two mix without the suppression of natural tendencies?

Ha! This doesn't apply to every member of either sex. I'm female, and absolutely HATE shopping for clothes. I want to go into the store, find what fits, and if the color isn't too hideous, buy it and leave. Total elapsed time: about ten minutes is all I can stand. On the other hand, I'll happily while away hours in a bookstore, craft store, or stationery store.

And try to get a guy to "get in, buy, and get out" when it's a hardware store or electronics store? Forget it. I have yet to meet the guy who doesn't like to browse.

On the subject of Chekov going shopping: I can think of two reasons why he said what he did. First, it's possible that they're simply friends and decided to see what might be available for souvenirs. Or maybe Uhura is "taking Chekov under her wing", so to speak, as she would surely be more experienced at dealing with starbase situations than he would -- and the "helping her shop" is just his way of saving face.

 

[Dohlman]

I'm not sure that those absolutes exist anymore. Do men still like to get in and out? Yes. Do some like to stay and hang? Yes. For the girls? Maybe. For the boys? Maybe. For the shopping? Partly as we've been conditioned to consume and desire material things that perhaps we don't really need. Advertising and the urban dream try to break us of that "evolutionary" tendency.

Malls, at least those in America, have replaced the town meeting hall and social as a place to gather. The architecture is also reflective of trying to recapture that old-time market place, town center and promenade, especially if you look at the malls of Los Angeles and San Diego. There is a whole study dedicated to this, particularly the work of Paco Underhill. I even teach a module on this very subject to my freshmen class on Semiotics.

But going back to when I was a teenager, I as a male interested in girls would hang out at the mall without a specific purpose in mind (okay, girls was the main one if there was one). To this day, my male friends and I will go to the mall and just hangout, eat and shop, even for clothes (Yikes! How un-masculine of us!).

Ah, but you hang out with a group of men. How often do you shop with a woman who's not your wife or girlfriend?

So how does Underhill's research compare to the study by Wharton's Jay H. Baker Retail Initiative and Verde Group: Men Buy, Women Shop?

In a study titled, "Men Buy, Women Shop," researchers at Wharton's Jay H. Baker Retail Initiative and the Verde Group, a Toronto consulting firm, found that women react more strongly than men to personal interaction with sales associates. Men are more likely to respond to more utilitarian aspects of the experience -- such as the availability of parking, whether the item they came for is in stock, and the length of the checkout line.

"Women tend to be more invested in the shopping experience on many dimensions," says Robert Price, chief marketing officer at CVS Caremark and a member of the Baker advisory board. "Men want to go to Sears, buy a specific tool and get out."

 

[Dohlman]

Ha! This doesn't apply to every member of either sex. I'm female, and absolutely HATE shopping for clothes. I want to go into the store, find what fits, and if the color isn't too hideous, buy it and leave. Total elapsed time: about ten minutes is all I can stand. On the other hand, I'll happily while away hours in a bookstore, craft store, or stationery store.

And try to get a guy to "get in, buy, and get out" when it's a hardware store or electronics store? Forget it. I have yet to meet the guy who doesn't like to browse.

I feel you on this one, Timewalker. I'm not a big shopper myself, even when I have extra money to spend. I love grocery shopping, but not clothes/shoe shopping.

On the subject of Chekov going shopping: I can think of two reasons why he said what he did. First, it's possible that they're simply friends and decided to see what might be available for souvenirs. Or maybe Uhura is "taking Chekov under her wing", so to speak, as she would surely be more experienced at dealing with starbase situations than he would -- and the "helping her shop" is just his way of saving face.

Too bad she wasn't there when the fight broke out.