Has Star Trek Affected Your Life?

[myfluffy]

I'm doing a project for National History Day on Gene Roddenberry and I could use all the help I can get.

The subject of National History Day was 'Individual in History' so I can only focus on him (or around him) as the subject.

I need to explain in my project on how significant Star Trek is to not only me, but to the world. I need evidence, stories, pictures, anything that can help me change the minds of those who think that Star Trek is "just a television show".

Please tell me your feelings or comments about Gene or the show that have changed your life in any way. The more detail, the better.

If you would like to know more about National History Day, check out their official website here: http://www.nationalhistoryday.org/

Thanks so much!!

 

[TheRealNaveed]

I grew up in an intolerant, hateful, religiously zealous family whose religion was arguably a cult. While they taught me that people who didn't ascribe to our very precise idea of what was right and wrong weren't deserving of life or God's love, and that our only option was to try and make them conform to our ideal, Star Trek taught me about a degree of moral relativism, something completely alien to my religious teachings. As a kid I ended up following Star Trek's ideas of right and wrong, its sense of morality. Even before losing my faith, I became convinced that it was not my place to judge the ethics of another person unless what they were doing or believed directly and unnecessarily harmed another. I firmly believe that without Star Trek I wouldn't have opened my mind up, I believe that I would still be stuck in a cult, hating myself for not living up to the ideal, yet pushing those same standards onto everybody I come across. In my case, because of Star Trek, there is one less bad person in the world - me.

 

[Wolfslice]

I don't think that it has really, other than to spark a more active interest in the space program and general scientific research.

What Star Trek is is a comprehensive and optimistic vision of the future. I would hope we'd be even close to this vision in the next few hundred years, but it would involve untold decades of social, economic and technological revolution.

 

[OneBuckFilms]

Growing up, I noticed Spock working on the Library Computer in the Enterprise Bridge.

It made me wonder how it all might work, what he was likely to be doing, and this prompted me to find out about real world computers.

As a result of following that path, and learning the value of reason and logic, I am now in Tech Support, and until recently was writing software for a living, and I'm actually pretty good at it.

I also identified with Spock in that he was not quite like everyone around him, and that alienness kind of forced him into his own path.

Like Spock joining Starfleet, I found Programming, and we have found our respective places in the greater scheme of things.

I am confident enough to be who I am without apology, and to take delight in how others are defferent, and each individual has their own gifts and insights.

 

[captcalhoun]

i've got less money cuz i keep buying the books.

i've got no girlfriend cuz i'm such a geek

but, i'm cool with that.

 

[c0rnedfr0g]

History Channel had a show called "How William Shatner Changed The Universe" or something like that, where it explained all the technological advances that were the result of young ppl being influenced by Star Trek. Among them were automatic doors (in the original show they were pulled by ropes) and cell phones (similar to communicators).

Also, TOS was famous for having such a diverse crew (Russian, African-(american?), japanese-(american?), vulcan) during a time of social tension, which gave many ppl hope for a world that can come together to solve problems...

here's something wikipedia had to say on Uhura

Nichelle Nichols planned to leave Star Trek in 1967, after its first season, but Martin Luther King, Jr. persuaded her to stay, stating that she was a role model for the black community.[2] Whoopi Goldberg, who later played Guinan on Star Trek: The Next Generation, identified the Uhura character as a role model for her.[2]
In "Plato's Stepchildren", Uhura is involved in an early TV portrayal of an interracial kiss. This is frequently misremembered as "first televised portrayal of an interracial kiss on United States television" even though it took place after Sammy Davis, Jr. and Nancy Sinatra had openly kissed on the variety program Movin' With Nancy in December 1967.
Uhura/Nichelle Nichols is spoofed as Tawny Madison/Gwen Di Marco in Galaxy Quest. Leicester City manager Ian Holloway has also paid homage to the character, stating "I had a massive crush on her when I was little - I think we all did. She was built to last!"[3]
Dr. Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman to fly the space shuttle, has also cited Uhura as an enormous influence

 

[Loneknight]

I can't tell you how many times I've taken a scenario from a Trek episode and used it to offer advice to someone. Sure, the person looks at me funny for a few minutes, but then they begin to realize that I'm dead serious when it comes to the topic at hand, and I was just using Star Trek as nothing more than an analogy.

I've often explained to several people that the stories and the meanings behind Trek are what keep me interested. I love the way Trek was used to explain a current event, or a moral/ethical issue in a completely different light, often trying to show us both sides of the coin. I concur with Naveed in that, had it not been for Trek I most certainly would not be looking at the world the same way. I began watching it with a love for the whole sci-fi thing: big ships, explosions, 'techy' stuff, etc. That's all icing on the cake, now. I really would like to believe that our species could work together as a whole, despite the shortcomings of what we see everyday. It's not impossible, and it would take a lot of work...but it's nice to think that one day it could happen.

 

[FalTorPan]

Yes... in many ways.

 

[CaptainStoner]

Right now it is affecting me in giving me some gumption to go ahead with some automotive work I haven't done before.

 

[c0rnedfr0g]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_william_shatner_changed_the_world

 

[myfluffy]

Thanks so much for all your help! I'm very grateful!
If anyone else has a story to tell, I'll be more than happy to read it.

 

[WillsBabe]

I spent 20 years actively involved in Trek fandom - from my late teens, almost into my 40's. That is a significant chunk of life. Most of my friends were involved, too. I met people and went places and did things because of my interest in Trek that I wouldn't otherwise have done. It gave me great opportunities to get involved with running conventions, meeting actors one-to-one, that kind of thing. I met my husband through Trek. We met in a convention bar over 20 years ago and are still happily together. Trek fandom has pretty much been the foundation that my life's been built on. These days I'm less passionate about Trek and much, much less involved in fandom. But I'm still here, still doing other fannish things in a much lower key way. OH, yes, and it's cost me a fortune over the years!!

 

[Jeri]

Trek to me has always been a beloved and trusted companion, rather like a pet. I've been able count on it for warmth, familiarity and unconditional affection for more than 40 years.

 

[MrsPicard]

Well, TNG has helped me a great deal, especially Jean-Luc. He showed me that diplomacy is sometimes the better way for solving a problem.

I can safely say that my life would not be what it is like now had I not 'encountered' TNG & Jean-Luc, so I guess it really had (and still has) a huge influence on me.

TNG also changed a lot of my attitudes... they're better now - I hope.

 

[c0rnedfr0g]

also, (i guess, depending) obviously, The Original Series was famous for "slipping by" episodes that had pertinent social messages on a broadcast network during primetime in the 60s, an era where such socially-challenging shows were forbidden (at least on broadcast, primetime tv). Trek did this by disguising their messages behind aliens and such, so that screeners or whatnot didn't readily recognize the message, altho the audience surely did. i'm sure u can find more info on this via research, it's only a pt in the right direction (ex: i think Trek originally aired late at night, and moved to primetime after its cancellation, when it was more popular.... i dunno i was born in the 80s so u'll need to do some fact checking on that)

so, i would write organize ur paper as such

intro
impact of diverse crew
episode messages
technology advances
perhaps personal accounts
conclusion

that's how i'd do it, anyway. i've written a lot of papers in my time, so take it for what it's worth.....

 

[kissthestar]

I always have been an oddball. "Star Trek" helped me accept myself. I feel I owe ST my life.

 

[myfluffy]

Thanks Davidant32 for the advice, although the project itself isn't just a essay, I'll keep your idea and help in mind

 

[EnsignJulka]

Star Trek has helped me to realise my place in this world and I know this sounds silly but it has comforted me in times of insecurity and depression...

 

[Mistral]

Star Trek and I were born a month apart. Its been in my life since day one. My parents were fairly open-minded and would sometimes watch with me when I was younger and then ask me what I thought the story meant-pointing and guiding me towards the moral lessons inherent in the episodes along the way.
As I hit adolescence I was targeted by bullies fairly often and I discovered a disturbingly powerful rage within myself. During a fight in my sophomore year I completely lost it and almost beat a kid to death with a nearby piece of wood. I think it freaked me out as much as it did him. I realized that my peers and I had reached a physical level where death could be the result of a fight-and I swore off violence. There were several times later when I was pushed to the breaking point but I would picture Mr. Spock's calmness and use it to keep control. Corny as it sounds, it worked.

Later in my life, I found myself in positions of leadership and I always tried to keep in mind the concept of a "command decision" as described in one of the early TOS novels. When a decision is called for, make it and act from an appearance of confidence whether you actually feel that way or not. If you end up making a mistake-don't be afraid to make a big correction or admit you were wrong-but ALWAYS look confident in your actions. This has brought much success in my professional life.

Thanks Star Trek. For everything.

 

[Neferit]

Well, I think that Star Trek affected me quite nicely.

- although I still "suffer" from prejudice time from time, I can get through it fairly quickly. I'm one of the most tolerant people amongst many of my friends - quite a few of them has nothing better to do that telling me that people who believe in God (or are following any ither religion) are 'better', some of them think that if someone is wearing different clothes/hairstyle, he has to be some kind of weirdo who shoudln't even be alive, some of them are just idiots. But thanks to Star Trek and its races throughout the Space (the final frontier) I learned to respect other people and their personality.

Also Data playing violin helped me to accept that I really won't play guitar as I hoped. And I have been playing violin for almost 13 years now.

Or my most favourite - Mr Spock. He taught me how to raise my eyebrow and say 'fascinating' with completely stony face. also - just because of him I found some things in "logic/philosophy" lessons more comprehensible.

Thanks you, Star Trek! Without you my life would be so empty!