Ever been made fun of for liking Star Trek?
- Thread starter Civ001
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In elementary school I made the mistake of naming all the TOS episode titles in roughly two minutes. The key to remembering them was recalling James Blish's episode order from each of his 12-and-a-half volumes.
My brother was always more into STAR WARS, so he took multiple opportunities to denigrate TREK's inferiority and anti-sophistication. After Jar Jar and Count Dooku, his perspective didn't change on iota. He seems to enjoy only the 2009 Abrams TREK. He's a Yale graduate.
Anti-sophistication?
Ok, I'll just file that a way for things I never thought I would hear Star Trek described as, even at the lowest depths of Voyager or Enterprise.
Also, my dad grew up with TOS and loves Abrams Trek as an equal with TOS.
Your mileage may vary
fireproof78 said:
Your dad has excellent taste in Trek.
I never got the whole Star Trek vs Star Wars thing as anything other than extremists of two different fandoms trying to play "superiority complex" over each other. It's stupidity of a childish order.
And I can tell ya' right now, I knew a kid (whom I took to thinking of as a kid sister) who had more maturity in her pinky than all those fanboys who thought one was better than the other, and that anyone who preferred the other was stupid. As we were pow wowing outside our apartments one day, the subject of Star Trek and Star Wars came up...and she said, as a passing conclusion to the conversation: "And anyone who thinks one is better than the other to the point of calling one fan or the other 'stupid' is stupid in my book. Star Trek and Star Wars BOTH rock!".
Since that day, she had my undying respect.
If only girls were like that years ago....not just being appreciative of sci-fi and space fantasy....but in being mature enough to realize that it's all just fun entertainment.
You know who was part of one of the earliest science fiction fan groups back in the 1930s and 1940s? Judith Merrill.If only girls were like that years ago....not just being appreciative of sci-fi and space fantasy....but in being mature enough to realize that it's all just fun entertainment.
A "girl" - who went on to become a successful writer and editor, and founded the Spaced Out Library (aka the Merrill Collection) in Toronto. She was one of many women who read and wrote science fiction all those decades ago, attended conventions, and waded into discussions of stories, TV shows, movies, and everything else the male fans were interested in.
We've always been around. Unfortunately, there have been all too many guys who were (and are) just too wrapped up in their own worlds to notice, or who think that no woman attends a convention unless she's some guy's wife or girlfriend.
You know who was part of one of the earliest science fiction fan groups back in the 1930s and 1940s? Judith Merrill.If only girls were like that years ago....not just being appreciative of sci-fi and space fantasy....but in being mature enough to realize that it's all just fun entertainment.
A "girl" - who went on to become a successful writer and editor, and founded the Spaced Out Library (aka the Merrill Collection) in Toronto. She was one of many women who read and wrote science fiction all those decades ago, attended conventions, and waded into discussions of stories, TV shows, movies, and everything else the male fans were interested in.
We've always been around. Unfortunately, there have been all too many guys who were (and are) just too wrapped up in their own worlds to notice, or who think that no woman attends a convention unless she's some guy's wife or girlfriend.
I hope you didn't feel I was making a sexist statement.
It's just that when I was growing up (at least in Bumphuckt, Egypt), girls were "girlie girl", and didn't want anything to do with guys who liked sci-fi.
More a societal thing rather than being blind to the world around us. As I'm sure you know, high school was (and likely still is) often nothing more than social status among kids who don't know any better.
Besides, the person you speak of was in Toronto...sadly, the U.S. tended be not so gracious.
fireproof78 said:
Your dad has excellent taste in Trek.
I never got the whole Star Trek vs Star Wars thing as anything other than extremists of two different fandoms trying to play "superiority complex" over each other. It's stupidity of a childish order.
And I can tell ya' right now, I knew a kid (whom I took to thinking of as a kid sister) who had more maturity in her pinky than all those fanboys who thought one was better than the other, and that anyone who preferred the other was stupid. As we were pow wowing outside our apartments one day, the subject of Star Trek and Star Wars came up...and she said, as a passing conclusion to the conversation: "And anyone who thinks one is better than the other to the point of calling one fan or the other 'stupid' is stupid in my book. Star Trek and Star Wars BOTH rock!".
Since that day, she had my undying respect.
If only girls were like that years ago....not just being appreciative of sci-fi and space fantasy....but in being mature enough to realize that it's all just fun entertainment.
Indeed, it is a bit of silly dichotomy.
I have had several friends, who are girls, that like science fiction. I find that going to science fiction conventions gives the opportunity to meet a lot of people, like your friend, who have a love of science fiction in general. My uncle has been good friends with CJ Cherryh, a female science fiction author, due to going to conventions and forming those relationships.
It's just all where you go
Honestly, it did come across as sexist, but I accept your word that you didn't intend it to.I hope you didn't feel I was making a sexist statement.You know who was part of one of the earliest science fiction fan groups back in the 1930s and 1940s? Judith Merrill.If only girls were like that years ago....not just being appreciative of sci-fi and space fantasy....but in being mature enough to realize that it's all just fun entertainment.
A "girl" - who went on to become a successful writer and editor, and founded the Spaced Out Library (aka the Merrill Collection) in Toronto. She was one of many women who read and wrote science fiction all those decades ago, attended conventions, and waded into discussions of stories, TV shows, movies, and everything else the male fans were interested in.
We've always been around. Unfortunately, there have been all too many guys who were (and are) just too wrapped up in their own worlds to notice, or who think that no woman attends a convention unless she's some guy's wife or girlfriend.
It's just that when I was growing up (at least in Bumphuckt, Egypt), girls were "girlie girl", and didn't want anything to do with guys who liked sci-fi.
More a societal thing rather than being blind to the world around us. As I'm sure you know, high school was (and likely still is) often nothing more than social status among kids who don't know any better.
Besides, the person you speak of was in Toronto...sadly, the U.S. tended be not so gracious.
I guess I'm not quite aware of some of the high school issues, given that my high school years were in the late '70s and I was never into worrying about the 'social status' thing. I spent my extracurricular time either in a club meeting (newspaper, yearbook, or poetry), in the library doing homework, or in the library actually working (yes, they paid me... a whopping 75 cents/hour, at first!).
I had the pleasure of meeting C.J. Cherryh at two different conventions (the conventions around here are fan-run and the guests are authors, artists, editors, sometimes university professors, and scientists).Indeed, it is a bit of silly dichotomy.Your dad has excellent taste in Trek.fireproof78 said:
I never got the whole Star Trek vs Star Wars thing as anything other than extremists of two different fandoms trying to play "superiority complex" over each other. It's stupidity of a childish order.
And I can tell ya' right now, I knew a kid (whom I took to thinking of as a kid sister) who had more maturity in her pinky than all those fanboys who thought one was better than the other, and that anyone who preferred the other was stupid. As we were pow wowing outside our apartments one day, the subject of Star Trek and Star Wars came up...and she said, as a passing conclusion to the conversation: "And anyone who thinks one is better than the other to the point of calling one fan or the other 'stupid' is stupid in my book. Star Trek and Star Wars BOTH rock!".
Since that day, she had my undying respect.
If only girls were like that years ago....not just being appreciative of sci-fi and space fantasy....but in being mature enough to realize that it's all just fun entertainment.
I have had several friends, who are girls, that like science fiction. I find that going to science fiction conventions gives the opportunity to meet a lot of people, like your friend, who have a love of science fiction in general. My uncle has been good friends with CJ Cherryh, a female science fiction author, due to going to conventions and forming those relationships.
It's just all where you go
I realize she's getting on in years now, but I truly hope she's got one more Cyteen book coming. Regenesis felt like the middle book in a trilogy; while some threads were finally resolved from Cyteen, now I wanna know what happens next!
Ms. Cherryh writes the most wonderfully complex stories - one really has to think to get the most out of them, and every time I reread one of her novels I gain some new insight I hadn't had before.
Honestly, it did come across as sexist, but I accept your word that you didn't intend it to.I hope you didn't feel I was making a sexist statement.
It's just that when I was growing up (at least in Bumphuckt, Egypt), girls were "girlie girl", and didn't want anything to do with guys who liked sci-fi.
More a societal thing rather than being blind to the world around us. As I'm sure you know, high school was (and likely still is) often nothing more than social status among kids who don't know any better.
Besides, the person you speak of was in Toronto...sadly, the U.S. tended be not so gracious.
I guess I'm not quite aware of some of the high school issues, given that my high school years were in the late '70s and I was never into worrying about the 'social status' thing. I spent my extracurricular time either in a club meeting (newspaper, yearbook, or poetry), in the library doing homework, or in the library actually working (yes, they paid me... a whopping 75 cents/hour, at first!).
I had the pleasure of meeting C.J. Cherryh at two different conventions (the conventions around here are fan-run and the guests are authors, artists, editors, sometimes university professors, and scientists).Indeed, it is a bit of silly dichotomy.Your dad has excellent taste in Trek.
I never got the whole Star Trek vs Star Wars thing as anything other than extremists of two different fandoms trying to play "superiority complex" over each other. It's stupidity of a childish order.
And I can tell ya' right now, I knew a kid (whom I took to thinking of as a kid sister) who had more maturity in her pinky than all those fanboys who thought one was better than the other, and that anyone who preferred the other was stupid. As we were pow wowing outside our apartments one day, the subject of Star Trek and Star Wars came up...and she said, as a passing conclusion to the conversation: "And anyone who thinks one is better than the other to the point of calling one fan or the other 'stupid' is stupid in my book. Star Trek and Star Wars BOTH rock!".
Since that day, she had my undying respect.
If only girls were like that years ago....not just being appreciative of sci-fi and space fantasy....but in being mature enough to realize that it's all just fun entertainment.
I have had several friends, who are girls, that like science fiction. I find that going to science fiction conventions gives the opportunity to meet a lot of people, like your friend, who have a love of science fiction in general. My uncle has been good friends with CJ Cherryh, a female science fiction author, due to going to conventions and forming those relationships.
It's just all where you go
I realize she's getting on in years now, but I truly hope she's got one more Cyteen book coming. Regenesis felt like the middle book in a trilogy; while some threads were finally resolved from Cyteen, now I wanna know what happens next!
Ms. Cherryh writes the most wonderfully complex stories - one really has to think to get the most out of them, and every time I reread one of her novels I gain some new insight I hadn't had before.
Yeah, the two closet conventions to me are fan run, one comic based and one SF/F based. CJ and Jane Fancher are common guests, even if they are not GOHs.
Even though my high school years were in the late 90s, I still didn't worry about the social status thing. Small high school helped that, as well as teachers who encouraged creativity. My creative outlet was writing scifi.
I've always had friends, of both genders, who liked ST and SW, and DW seems to have expanded that base even more. But, not as many people seemed to be interested in discussing the technical details as I am. Hence, why I am here
In light of the recent discussion here, I've been reminded that one of the only 'breaks' I got in my love of Star Trek was (in 1976 or '77) from a girl in school, who actually paid me to do a drawing of the Enterprise! 
Come to think of it, a Star Wars sketch I did was actually stolen from the art room a couple of years later! Now I'm wondering if the thief still has it!
Come to think of it, a Star Wars sketch I did was actually stolen from the art room a couple of years later! Now I'm wondering if the thief still has it!
I hope you said, "I'll do it for free."
Well, I probably was greatly underpaid! Hmm...what would two bucks be in modern currency?
Yes, I have been made fun of for liking Star Trek. I learned not to care. Star Trek is fun no matter what other people think.
As I was discovering TREK, as a small child, I would often be in the middle of an episode and me mum would come in from outside, or whatever and say, "oh, no! This ain't staying on. Forget that shit." I figured not talking about it increased my chances of getting to see it, or - at the very least - never hurt my chances of doing so (such as they were). So, not talking about it just became instinctive. And the beginnings of STAR TREK shame took true root ...
Wow, it's amazing the memories this thread is dredging up!
2's story reminded me of something else from youth. My dad wasn't real big on my Star Trek (or sci-fi in general) interest as a kid. I remember one Friday or Saturday night, he forbid me from staying up for a late showing of Forbidden Planet, which I had never seen. Back in the mid-70's of course was pre-videotape: broadcast tv was king. In my kid mind, I had no idea when, if ever, I'd get this chance again.
As the evening wore on prior to bedtime, I had scavenged various mirrors around the house, and manage to surreptitiously place them so that I was able to see the television from my bed. My brother was staying up to watch the movie, and my bedroom was adjoining the living room (it was kind of an odd house layout), so I was able to see the movie from bed, and hear the sound as well!
The only weird part for me was that my first-ever viewing of Forbidden Planet was flipped right to left. It was years until I was finally able to see it 'undistorted'!
Enough for a thank you card or a couple of flowers.
Enough for a thank you card or a couple of flowers.
Yeah, maybe...but the problem there, is at that time, it wasn't far removed from when girls had 'cooties'!
Anti-sophistication?
Most people who prefer Star Wars to Star Trek prefer it because it's more action oriented and less cerebral. I haven't often seen the claim that Star Wars is more 'Sophisticated'.
Most people who prefer Star Wars to Star Trek prefer it because it's more action oriented and less cerebral. I haven't often seen the claim that Star Wars is more 'Sophisticated'.
Answer: yes, by double-digit IQ mouth breathers, back in my school days. I'd like to say that I wonder what became of them, but I really don't care.
Now I work in a field that is full of educated and brilliant people that can appreciate Trek and Sci-Fi in general, so it doesn't bother me anymore.
Now I work in a field that is full of educated and brilliant people that can appreciate Trek and Sci-Fi in general, so it doesn't bother me anymore.
I wouldn't say SW is more sophisticated, but I would say it's more literary. It follows the outline of the hero's journey perfectly and uses standard mythological images, motifs, and archetypes. At least the first three movies. I never bothered with the other movies.
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