Can Conservative Star Trek Fans Exist?

[milojthatch]

By "Conservative," I don't mean that you have to be Republican or a Tea Party member to be considered "Conservative" (I'm not actually either one) or that it has to have anything to do with politics. That said I'd have to admit it could and many might take it that way.

However, my question is is there room in this fan base for fans that may hold more Conservative views about life? Maybe fans that feel that that perfect human Roddenberry was trying to present can't exist without some traditional values? Sometimes it feels like if you are not more Liberal in your views, you have no place in this fan base. Is that true? Or is it just that the louder fans make it feel like that?

To me, this is kind of serious question. A big part of the strength of the Star Trek fan base is the feeling that everyone can belong, but there are times I've been left wondering (both from online experiences and real life ones) if I really do? Has anyone else ever felt that way in Star Trek fan circles? Are Conservative fans the one group that the old IDIC has no room for? I'm really interested for some serious responses to this.

 

[Captain Rob]

IDIC - Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations.
That means we include EVERYBODY. From the Bible thumpers to the Commie hippies.
I've been a Star Trek fan since the very early days of the 70's as a little kid in elementary school here in Texas. And...wait for it:
I'm a Conservative Republican.
I'm odd. I'm a moderate Conservative (almost a Libertarian on some matters). And I'm almost a liberal on some personal issues. If the gays want to get married. It doesn't bother or effect me at all. They can be as miserable as the straight married couples. But it's not the Federal Government's jurisdiction. The Bill of Rights is very clear that if the Feds don't have written authority to do something. Then it resides with the states (ObamaCareanyone?)
Also, as a student of history, the Feds should keep their nose out of the churches and the churches should keep their noses out of government.
I'm a firm disbeliever in political correctness. That you have to be very careful what you say or you might offend someone. And if you do you're automatically branded a bully.
To paraphrase Q: The world's a tough place. If you can't stand a bloody nose or hurt feelings once in a while, then maybe you should stay home hiding under your Momma's bed.



I'd write more but I suck at typing.

 

[Maurice]

I'm sick of people using the term "PC" to claim they're the ones being oppressed because they might have to consider using words that aren't patently offensive. When I grew up that was called "being respectful" and "not name calling".

And as to conservative Trek fans, just read the posts on this board long enough and you'll realize a LOT of them are.

 

[MacLeod]

It all depends on what you mean by the the term conservative doesn't it? It might not have the same meaning around the world many might consider the US Democratic Party to be Conservative which isn't the case in the US.

 

[Runetouch]

Yes.

I'd call myself centre-right, and I support the Tories, even though all UK parties are incompetent.

 

[CTGuyton]

Captain Rob and I seem to be on a pretty similar level when it comes to politics. Although I found it amusing that he referred to himself as moderate conservative, while I consider myself extremely conservative. As MacCleod said though, there is no set in stone definition of conservative or any other label for that matter. Maybe someone should make a few check lists to clarify this for everyone. lol

I saw a quote one time from Clint Eastwood. He was referring to Hollywood, but I think it pretty much applies anywhere outside of a political debate forum. "Conservatives by the very definition tend to keep such things closer to their chest." Or something along those lines. So I expect when I'm on a message board or something, that if politics are mentioned, that I'm usually going to be outnumbered(or at least out voiced). That tends to give the impression to those who hold the quit opinion, that they may not quite fit in. It can also lead the vocal majority to the false sense that their opinion is held by the majority or possibly everyone.

In all honesty though. The fans aren't the ones that matter. Can you see yourself in the Star Trek universe? Does your ideology fit with what's being portrayed on screen? If you can watch it as a conservative, and come away from the experience thinking that you can be who you are in this universe. Then yes, there is absolutely room for conservatives.

even though all UK parties are incompetent.

That's not just in the UK. All parties everywhere are incompetent

 

[AgentCoop]

I'm sick of people using the term "PC" to claim they're the ones being oppressed because they might have to consider using words that aren't patently offensive. When I grew up what was called "being respectful" and "not name calling".

And as to conservative Trek fans, just read the posts on this board long enough and you'll realize a LOT of them are.

Thank you! I've been saying this for years. Too many people these days cloak themselves in the guise of being "Anti-PC" when all they're really doing is using it as a free pass to insult people. Especially online, where everyone's a tough guy.

As to the OP, I am a Liberal Trek fan who welcomes other fans from across the political spectrum. No matter how wrong they are.

 

[CoveTom]

Very much a far right conservative Republican here, and also very much a Trek fan. So, to answer the original question... yes, conservatives can be Trek fans.

Do I find things I disagree with in some of the messages Trek integrates into its episodes? Sure. But, you know, not every single moral or message of every Trek story is some flaming liberal diatribe. There are actually conservative messages to be found in Trek too. But, more than that, there's a lot about Trek that is just damn good entertainment and not trying to push a particular political message.

 

[BillJ]

Yes. As this board proves.

But I don't find it too surprising as much of the Berman years had a decidedly conservative bend to them.

 

[JoeZhang]

By "Conservative," I don't mean that you have to be Republican or a Tea Party member to be considered "Conservative" (I'm not actually either one) or that it has to have anything to do with politics. That said I'd have to admit it could and many might take it that way.

Well... most of your liberals are to the right of what we in Europe would consider liberal, so the answer is surely yes.

 

[Forbin]

Captain Rob seems to be my philosophical brother as well.
I'm pro-gun, pro-choice, tough on crime, pro-military, pro-equality for all... and a great big silly trekkie.

The PC thing: I had this discussion with a gay friend many years ago. We decided that, while there are a lot of politically correct tings that are indeed correct, some people take it to a ridiculous extreme, requiring the rest of the world to walk on eggs around them or be branded bigots. Those are the PC things that make people roll their eyes and reflexively push back.

 

[RandyS]

Captain Rob seems to be my philosophical brother as well.
I'm pro-gun, pro-choice, tough on crime, pro-military, pro-equality for all... and a great big silly trekkie.

The PC thing: I had this discussion with a gay friend many years ago. We decided that, while there are a lot of politically correct tings that are indeed correct, some people take it to a ridiculous extreme, requiring the rest of the world to walk on eggs around them or be branded bigots. Those are the PC things that make people roll their eyes and reflexively push back.

Both you an Captain Rob are completely correct.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Of course conservative Trek fans exist, because I am one. (I'm not sure I like terms like "right-wing" or anything like that, but I do identify myself as a Republican. Of course I also think the Tea Party are a bunch of $%@$%! nutbars, so what do I know.)

 

[Set Harth]

It doesn't bother or effect me at all.

Affect, not effect.

 

[-Brett-]

The funny thing about IDIC is that it originates with a fictional culture whose members all look alike, all dress alike, all have the exact same "personality", such as it is. The casual fan could be forgiven for thinking that Vulcans are all clones. When a character starts preaching about the merits of IDIC, I can't help but think that the writers are pulling our collective leg.

 

[Misfit Toy]

"Conservative" doesn't equal "bigoted". There are many conservative Trek fans. Posters of all political leanings who comport themselves in a reasonable, adult manner enjoy this board every day.

 

[AgentCoop]

By "Conservative," I don't mean that you have to be Republican or a Tea Party member to be considered "Conservative" (I'm not actually either one) or that it has to have anything to do with politics. That said I'd have to admit it could and many might take it that way.

Well... most of your liberals are to the right of what we in Europe would consider liberal, so the answer is surely yes.

Funny. Here in America, anyone to the left of Ayn Rand gets labelled a socialist.

I just remembered this: A couple of weeks ago, I was having a discussion with my ultra-conservative father. In a tongue-in-cheek way, I quoted Spock's "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few". He glared at me without a hint of humor and told me to stop talking like a g******n Marxist.

 

[1001001]

Are Conservative fans the one group that the old IDIC has no room for? I'm really interested for some serious responses to this.

It depends.

Conservative as in: family values, strong military, fiscal responsibility, limited government...sure.

Conservative as in: homosexuality is "filth"....probably not.

 

[Relayer1]

JoeZhang is correct in that American liberals are still what we in Europe would describe as fairly right wing. The American right is what we would view as far right or extremist.

There's a lot of baggage with the Tea Party that is very obviously opposed to the inclusive and accepting ideals and values espoused in Trek, and I'm afraid that even some Republican beliefs fall foul. That's not to say that all Republicans are the same however...

Yes, I'd say conservative fans exist, but there's probably less of them.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Yeah, you can certainly have conservative views and enjoy Star Trek. So long as you don't believe in exclusion or disenfranchisement of people who disagree with you. Most conservatives in the US don't believe in that, it's only the Fox News conservatives who do.

Ha, I was posting on a craft beer forum the other day. There was a thread discussing when you would break out a Sam Adams Utopias if you had one. (This is a 20+% alcohol beer that costs $200 a bottle, and tastes ridiculously good). I said I would break it out in a 'Ski weekend' situation where it was just me and friends hanging out for hours with nothing to do but enjoy each others' company.

Somebody responded to my post with this:

"P****".

I thought to myself, how could this be? That my masculinity would be questioned on the basis of wanting to hang out and drink beer. But that wasn't it. Just the idea that I would express fondness for the company of other human beings was enough, in the eyes of a far right conservative, to make me unmasculine.

A vast majority of American conservatives aren't like that, but those among the audience of folks like Sean Hannity have created this peculiar religion around personal selfishness that even giving the slightest bit of effort to benefit other human beings when it does not benefit you is weak and treasonous. Those are the fringe conservatives who would probably hate Trek. The majority of conservatives who believe in voluntary philanthropy and just not government enforced philanthropy could connect with its message just fine.