I really wish that Star Trek were relavant with the Youth today.

[drazzz52923849]

Hello. I am 17 years old and recently discovered the magic of Star Trek. When i came out about it to my friends, I got laughed at and my attempts to explain the pure greatness that was Star Trek were largely ignored. And then i started asking other people my age and they didn't want to have anything to do with it. It made me think that their should be a show on to help star trek once again become relevant in popular culture today. I am in no way ashamed of my Trekkiness, but other people criticize me for being an out of the closet Trekkie. Will their realistically ever be a new show?

 

[RandyS]

Don't sweat it. I was your age back when TNG first premiered (and Ironically, my mom was then the age I am now), and I had many similar experiences. Except that I had family members (including my aforementioned mom) and friends who were very much into Star Trek. You have nobody like that?

I agree with you though. Today's kids have zero apprieciation for the classics. Most of them see the recent revival of Battlestar Galactica as the second coming of Christ, when in fact, it's the worst thing that ever happened to Science Fiction.

 

[Leroy]

I've met young people that hate nuBSG with a passion and prefer the older series. I think the 2009 film helped Trek's image with the younger crowd. However I doubt it did anything to spur an interest in the older stuff.

 

[The Wormhole]

Really, and I'm sorry if this sounds rude, but who the hell cares? If you like Star Trek, then that's wonderful, embrace it for what it is. If the unwashed masses you associate with can't recognize its greatness, then leave them be and move on. There's more important things in life than convincing someone to like your favourite TV show.

 

[iguana_tonante]

Star Trek is nice and I like it. I never had any reason to hide it, nor to "come out" about it. If people share my interest, it's great; if they don't, it's still ok.

Just treat it as it is (a good piece of entertainment) instead of weird cult-like religion, and people wouldn't think twice about it. People are crazy about sport teams, people are crazy about pop singers, people are crazy about tv series. Same difference. Just make sure you are ha-ha-crazy and not crazy-crazy, and it's all good.

 

[sonak]

I agree with many of the points above. Don't let others make you feel embarrassed about what you like-that's absurd. Plus, other people pick up on your response to their making fun of you for it.

A lot of people here have probably had similar experiences to yours. I have, and when people make fun of me for liking Star Trek I just act like they're crazy and say something like "what are you talking about? Star Trek is awesome."(only wittier than that) Don't act insecure about your interests and you won't get made fun of (as much) for them.

 

[TheLobes]

Really, and I'm sorry if this sounds rude, but who the hell cares? If you like Star Trek, then that's wonderful, embrace it for what it is. If the unwashed masses you associate with can recognize its greatness, then leave them be and move on.

Seriously, 'the unwashed masses'? Star Trek is good and all, but if someone doesnt like it that doesnt mean they're some kind of philistine. I know plenty of really intelligent people who dont like Star Trek.

 

[PsychoPere]

I'd prefer that correct spelling be relevant with the youth of today.

 

[indranee]

Part of the beauty of being a Trekkie is reveling in your uniqueness. Just go with it, kid. We've all been where you are now. I'd suggest keeping your current friends happy with what they want and know, and developing new friendships with other Trekkies of your age and beyond. There are a ton of 17-year old Trekkies on this board. Cultivate them

 

[Warped9]

It has nothing to do with being relevant to the youth of today. It has everything to do with whether you understand what's in the show or not. When I was in my teen years in the '70s I experienced the exact same things. Don't sweat it and enjoy what you like.

The flaw isn't that the show isn't relevant. The flaw is in those who don't get it.

 

[drazzz52923849]

I have, and when people make fun of me for liking Star Trek I just act like they're crazy and say something like "what are you talking about? Star Trek is awesome."(only wittier than that).

Ya i usually just try and say the same that Star Trek is awesome. Haven't convinced anybody but it hasn't changed my opinion about anything.

 

[Gary7]

It could also happen to be your unique experience with the friends you have. I've met and heard of young folks in their teens and 20's who like the pre-2009 Star Trek series. It's just unfortunate that your immediate friends don't care for it.


Now, one may beg to question what it is that turns them off. Maybe some "social stigma" that is active in your area? Find out what it is... and maybe you can help dispel it. This isn't to say that you must find a way to convert your friends, only that if there's a simple barrier that you've got a chance to break through, why not try?

 

[estar9821]

I'm also a teenager and I recently (seven months ago) discovered Star Trek. I'm happy to say I haven't had any similar experiences, but that's probably because I hung out with a nerdier crowd at my old school and my new school is a sci/tech school. None of my friends are that into Star Trek, but a few of them have seen some episodes and one kid in some of my classes is utterly obsessed with it, just as I am. I've shown my friends Trek a couple of times, namely watching The Trouble with Tribbles at 1 AM during a sleepover, and they liked it.

So if I were you, I would recommend it to your friends. Don't force them into it or try to convert them by any means, but maybe you can get rid of the "Star Trek = lame" label in their heads. Maybe you could make a deal with them, that if they watch one episode with you seriously, you'll try their hobby/watch their TV show. Just an idea. But no matter what, keep watching Trek and enjoying your hobby.

 

[Listener4]

I'm fortunate I met a good friend in high school who is a big scifi fan.

 

[Joshua Howard]

Live your life on your own darn terms! You've got to find things that are inspirational to you, and that can be Star Trek, or any number of other things, or a combination of many things; and all of those different things that you like ultimately define who you are. Don't pour water on something inspirational just because other people don't understand why you like it; and remember, you're never the only one out there who has similar feelings or interests about something.

Trust me, if anybody has a hobby/interest that makes for odd conversations and uncomfortable social implications, it's me! I've been a hobby micronationalist and fan of Nazi & WWII history for years now, and it's pretty important to me. There are plenty of people out there who wouldn't "get" my interests, and might even get judgmental about it. At some point though, I realized that my interests are more important than some arbitrary social measuring stick.

If your peers can't handle someone who isn't mainstream, they probably aren't worth having as friends; and if you're worried about not being able to find friends because of your specific tastes, don't. It's better to have no friends, or very few of them, than to wind up compromising on your individualism just so that you can gain a spot at the party.

I used to have a Wal-Mart manager who was a Next Generation fan. He once got on the overhead/intercom and said "Woop! Woop! Red Alert!" instead of "Attention Associates". I guess I just shared that little bit as a hearty example of the fact that Star Trek fans are probably more common than you realize. Trek on.

 

[Sparky]

If the unwashed masses you associate with can't recognize its greatness, then leave them be and move on.

The flaw isn't that the show isn't relevant. The flaw is in those who don't get it.

The people who don't "get" or like Star Trek are not the "unwashed masses", nor are they flawed.

Get off your high horses.

 

[Mary Ann]

My 13-year-old daughter got hooked on Voyager two years ago and she's a huge Trekkie, but it's something she hides from her friends. It's a shame, but she shares other favourite shows with her friends (Little Britain, Miranda, QI and the like) and, to my everlasting relief, refuses to watch shows like Britain's Got Talent, Glee, and Eastenders. Conversely, Trek is one of the few media favourites I have in common with one of my closest friends for the past 25 years, but we're still metaphoric partners in crime. It's not much fun when you have no one around to share your obsession with, but that's what places like this are for.

 

[Orcus]

I'd prefer that correct spelling be relevant with the youth of today.

Also: grammar, syntax and (especially) punctuation. Not to mention the endangered species: common sense, common courtesy and personal accountability...

 

[PianoWizzy]

I also wish that Star Trek was more popular nowadays, as it deserves to be.

I'm one of the lucky few young fans that gets to go to school in a crowd full of geeks and nerds of every type. Especially since a) it's a cyber school, and b) the gifted program is very selective who it allows for entry. So every other person I meet here is either a Star Trek or a Star Wars fan, and the majority of us are into sci-fi. I'm glad to be personal friends with at least 4 other Trekkies, which makes my admiration of Star Trek a bit easier to bear.

But even my friends who are in no way interested in Star Trek, they would never laugh at me for it. Forgive me for being blunt, but I wonder why your friends laughed at you, if they're your friends, really.

I'd prefer that correct spelling be relevant with the youth of today.

Also: grammar, syntax and (especially) punctuation. Not to mention the endangered species: common sense, common courtesy and personal accountability...

I am in COMPLETE agreement here. I wish people would IM me in English, at least.

 

[CaptJimboJones]

Why must your friends like everything you like? Maybe you should just accept that they don't like Star Trek, and focus on other things you have in common (you must have SOMETHING in common with them, after all they're your friends).

If I had a friend who was a huge wrestling fan, and he kept trying to convince me that wrestling was the greatest thing ever even after I told him I wasn't a fan, well, I'd find that really annoying.

Not everyone has to like Star Trek, and not liking Star Trek doesn't make someone an ignoramus. My wife isn't a fan, for example, and she's a pretty intelligent person.

The nice thing about being a Trek fan is that there is a very large online community of people who share your interest. So enjoy the fact that you can indulge your Trek fandom to your heart's content with the online community, and just do other things when you're hanging out with your friends.