TOS Purists of TrekBBS - Unite!

[CaptainStoner]

Are not separatism, haughtiness, and bickering part of Infinite Diversity? How can you have Infinite Combinations without them? Surely it is exclusion which is not part of IDIC... though it necessarily must be.

Well if you follow IDIC out you probably end up with a mass of inert grey. If Star Trek has a spirit, that spirit is more than just IDIC. It has guiding principles as well, arguably human-centric. But IDIC almost always falls by the wayside where it conflicts with them.
TOS is a true classic with an artistic style we'll never see again. I'm not a TOS purist, but I'd probably have one on my crew. Preferably as chief engineer, so I don't have to listen to the purist whining so much.

 

[ProwlAlpha]

There is a difference in having many voices that are all equal to one voice who is considered better than all others and its ok to like other voices but ours is the best.

All in all, Star Trek is about accepting diversity and using those differences to create a better society, a better person.

 

[Forbin]

I'm confused.

 

[Hofner]

I'm confused.

It's very simple.

Many different voices are the same equality in the various subtext of similar diversity in all modes where the party of the first part is considered equally varied to the party of the second part, wheras the party of the third part can be unlike any other parties in parallel orientation to the homogenous whole and you whip your partner around in the dos-e-dough.

Got that?

Robert

 

[Captain Robert April]

The idea behind IDIC is best exemplified by the Vulcan symbol, a circle and a triangle, two completely different shapes, and where they combine, a jewel. Diversity alone is not enough to make an interesting world, it's seeing how that diversity combines to create even more diversity, and seeing what that can bring to the party.

That being said, hardnosed intolerance doesn't have to be tolerated for the sake of IDIC any more than organized crime should be tolerated in the suburbs. Remember, Star Trek wasn't just about IDIC, there was also a strong sense of right and wrong running through the series. And fundamental wrongs were never tolerated.

Roddenberry may have been rather loose with his morals, but I wouldn't call him a moral relativist.

 

[Forbin]

The idea behind IDIC is best exemplified by the Vulcan symbol, a circle and a triangle, two completely different shapes, and where they combine, a jewel. Diversity alone is not enough to make an interesting world, it's seeing how that diversity combines to create even more diversity, and seeing what that can bring to the party.

About 30 years ago a couple of friends of mine got married. He was Irish catholic, she was Jewish. I put my calligraphy lessons to use and made them a parchment scroll with the IDIC philosophy explained. They loved it.

She left him a few years later and married his best friend, who was Italian. So I guess she really believed in it.

 

[Ronald Held]

IDIC involves accepting diverse views exist.

 

[Shatnertage]

^^^Yes, and it's funny that a show that was all about wondering "what if" attracts people who seem so close-minded about a science-fiction television show.

For 99% of the world, this stuff is all lumped together as "Star Trek." Hell, 98% of them probably think Luke Skywalker's in there, too. So what does the "purity" of Star Trek made in 2009 vs. 1969 matter?

This discussion's making me think of that Pale Blue Dot photo, and Carl Sagan's gloss on it--we're all arguing about something that is, ultimately, pretty trivial.

 

[Joker]

Wasn't IDIC that thing Roddenberry thought up to sell little badges?

 

[Noname Given]

Wasn't IDIC that thing Roddenberry thought up to sell little badges?

The story goes that GR wanted Nimoy to wear some jewlery on his cotume for the Dinner scene in Is There In Truth No Beauty - Reason: He was going to promote and sell the line of worn jewlery as 'Star Trek' jewlery, thinking the college aged fans would snap it up.

Nimoy flat out refused to wear it UNLESS his character had a reason to do so. Thus someone (no one knows who as at that point, it's been stated scenes and lines were sometimes delivered to the actors just minutes prior to shooting); cane up with Spock's description of the Vulcan 'IDIC'; and the fact that he wore it to honor Miranda.

 

[Potemkin_Prod]

Yep.

 

[Red Ranger]

Wasn't IDIC that thing Roddenberry thought up to sell little badges?

The story goes that GR wanted Nimoy to wear some jewlery on his cotume for the Dinner scene in Is There In Truth No Beauty - Reason: He was going to promote and sell the line of worn jewlery as 'Star Trek' jewlery, thinking the college aged fans would snap it up.

Nimoy flat out refused to wear it UNLESS his character had a reason to do so. Thus someone (no one knows who as at that point, it's been stated scenes and lines were sometimes delivered to the actors just minutes prior to shooting); cane up with Spock's description of the Vulcan 'IDIC'; and the fact that he wore it to honor Miranda.

Maybe it ought to be IDIM -- Infinite Diversity in Infinite Marketing!

 

[Robert D. Robot]

I used to get a catalog from Lincoln Enterprises (Roddenberry's company that sold these items) back in the late 1960s (I may even have one around somewhere) where they were hawking those IDIC medallions. I ordered a few things. I still have a set of individual film frames of the Enterprise (both before and after the special effects were added), a set of the three TOS uniform badges and the writer's guide. Man, that was a LONG while ago......

 

[Captain Robert April]

Originally, the scene was Kirk giving a medal to some anonymous crewman, featuring this little trinket. The scene made no sense, it didn't fit with the overall episode, and was just blatant merchandizing, so Shatner protested. Then it evolved to Nimoy wearing the thing, but the scene as written still didn't make a lick of sense, so Nimoy protested.

It took a while, but eventually the scene got pounded into something everyone could live with.

Interestingly, there's a memo in "The Making of Star Trek" where GR is musing about the lack of symbols in some recent episodes, particularly "The Return of the Archons", and how they're missing opportunities to do something special, and he goes on to describe a possible alien symbol that sounds very much like the IDIC.

 

[Joker]

IDIC truly was Star Trek at its best.

 

[Forbin]

I propose a special medalion for TrekBBS celbrating Infinite Diversity in Infinite Obvious Trolling.

 

[Captain Robert April]

IDIC truly was Star Trek at its best.

Actually, there's a kernal of truth in that, although to really flesh it out, that medallion represents both the best and worst of Star Trek.

The philosophy behind the symbol is quite lovely, and a part of Roddenberry that we've all grown rather fond of.

The shenanigans behind getting it before the public shows Roddenberry in a somewhat craven light.

Put it all together, and you get Gene Roddenberry, regular life size version.

 

[I am not Spock]

I like all Trek shows. But TOS is my favourite, though. I see no problem accepting TAS, either, as it is TOS' fourth and fifth seasons.

 

[Gojira]

TOS is my favorite, including their movies, and I also like TNG and their movies. I did like Voyager but not all of it. I never could get into DS9 and I really don't care for it, although there may be an episode or two that I like. The same can be said of Enterprise, not really a fan but there is an episode here and there that I do like.

 

[Captain Robert April]

I like all Trek shows. But TOS is my favourite, though. I see no problem accepting TAS, either, as it is TOS' fourth and fifth seasons.

With only 22 episodes, I count TAS as the fourth season.

For a fifth season, I look to James Cawley's "New Voyages/Phase II" productions.