No doubt you've already considered that Star Trek is an artful blending of Humanism (B.F. Skinner) and Classic Archetypical Psychology (Carl Jung).
We have our heroes:
Kirk, the charismatic and innovative leader who 'doesn't believe in the no-win scenario'! His crew would gladly follow him to their deaths, simply because he's able to convince them that his cause is so noble and right. This is the guy most of us want to be; stalwart, principled, afraid of nothing! We watch this character to see how we should deal with crisis situations.
Spock, brilliant and supremely capable, but utterly alone amongst his fellow beings. Only Kirk has taken the trouble to really understand him. We identify with Spock when we are feeling out of step with, and rejected by our 'peer' group. The stoic Vulcan routinely shows us far more about bravely striving to be the very best 'us' we can be, in the face of a nearly ubiquitous display of intimidation and prejudice from the other beings we encounter, than we can generally glean from the more well-adjusted characters on the show.
McCoy, embittered and caustic on the outside, yet imbued with a level of dedication and compassion the rest of us can only dream about. This represents the 'personal armor' we most often don when going out into the world in 'real life'. The only problem is, as we're busily protecting the superficial 'us' from the perils (real or imagined) that we expect to face, it is extremely easy to lose sight of what it is we have to give from within ourselves. 'Bones' is always there to demonstrate for us how to successfully walk that proverbial oil slicked tightrope.
Scotty, The Miracle Worker, is always saving the day. This speaks to our genetically coded desire to help others with our unique and special skills. Uhura, the communicator--there simply isn't anybody she can't talk to. Stuck all alone inside our respective skulls for life, don't you just crave that ability to really connect with someone in the head hovering just off your bow? I certainly do. Sulu and Chekov, young and inexperienced, but already the best at what they do--they are the embodiments of our innate desire to learn and grow, becoming more than what we are today.
We have the parameters of the show.
"Our five year mission, to seek out new life, new civilizations and boldly go where no one has gone before" Why? Because we've discovered that we can go anywhere and do anything with a co-operative effort. We found out that it is differences amongst us which make us strong. We want to share what we know and learn what the other guy knows. We hope and believe that everyone we encounter will be enriched by our interaction, as will we.
Star Trek isn't fundamentally a show about outer space; it's a show about the space between our ears, about an idealized human race--a most healthy aspiration which is actually entirely within our collective grasp, TODAY!
Drama in Star Trek
Even in the most utopian society possible, there will always be SOME antagonism--some segment of the general population that just won't get with the program, who insist that their personal 'rights' to be a public nuisance are being curtailed; it is simply the incontrovertible nature of life as we know it. How do we deal with 'em when they crop up? Do we simply phaser 'em 'till they glow, then photon torpedo them in the dark? Not on Star Trek, we don't! Instead, we are presented with a whole plethora of Humanistic options for non-violent conflict resolution. We talk. We listen. We care about the other guy as much as we do ourselves. We learn to live together.
In 'City On The Edge Of Forever' we explore the ramifications of being able to literally change our past. In 'Galileo Seven' we observe the difficulties encountered by a leader who is too different from his group to be well liked or trusted. In 'Court Martial' we see the lengths to which someone might go when they become obsessed with revenge. "Devil In The Dark' deals with cross cultural misunderstanding. "Let This be Your Last Battlefield', the futility of racial hatred.
Was Trelaine a dangerous sociopath, or just a spoiled little boy who happened to be all-powerful? What about Q? Was Kirk trying to obviate the loneliness of command with an endless parade of 'space babes'? Did Spock ever really make peace with his father, or did they finally just 'agree to disagree'? (Watch Sarek's facial expressions closely on this one!) Was McCoy really simply trying to draw Spock out of himself with all of the baiting and argument they indulged in? Do you think it worked at all? Was the sharing of the Katra at the end of STII:TWOK actually a metaphor for that relationship?
Star Trek makes us think. Thinking makes us better. Sharing our thoughts with each other makes us all WAY better. This is ultimately the identical process which goes on every day in psychologist's offices and self help seminars and some of the better churches all over the world--but Star Trek can reach a lot more people.
Profound and intellectual? I really have no idea, but basic human truths?.....I guarantee it!
Retired clinical psychologist and university professor, happily married, untimate Spock fan
We have our heroes:
Kirk, the charismatic and innovative leader who 'doesn't believe in the no-win scenario'! His crew would gladly follow him to their deaths, simply because he's able to convince them that his cause is so noble and right. This is the guy most of us want to be; stalwart, principled, afraid of nothing! We watch this character to see how we should deal with crisis situations.
Spock, brilliant and supremely capable, but utterly alone amongst his fellow beings. Only Kirk has taken the trouble to really understand him. We identify with Spock when we are feeling out of step with, and rejected by our 'peer' group. The stoic Vulcan routinely shows us far more about bravely striving to be the very best 'us' we can be, in the face of a nearly ubiquitous display of intimidation and prejudice from the other beings we encounter, than we can generally glean from the more well-adjusted characters on the show.
McCoy, embittered and caustic on the outside, yet imbued with a level of dedication and compassion the rest of us can only dream about. This represents the 'personal armor' we most often don when going out into the world in 'real life'. The only problem is, as we're busily protecting the superficial 'us' from the perils (real or imagined) that we expect to face, it is extremely easy to lose sight of what it is we have to give from within ourselves. 'Bones' is always there to demonstrate for us how to successfully walk that proverbial oil slicked tightrope.
Scotty, The Miracle Worker, is always saving the day. This speaks to our genetically coded desire to help others with our unique and special skills. Uhura, the communicator--there simply isn't anybody she can't talk to. Stuck all alone inside our respective skulls for life, don't you just crave that ability to really connect with someone in the head hovering just off your bow? I certainly do. Sulu and Chekov, young and inexperienced, but already the best at what they do--they are the embodiments of our innate desire to learn and grow, becoming more than what we are today.
We have the parameters of the show.
"Our five year mission, to seek out new life, new civilizations and boldly go where no one has gone before" Why? Because we've discovered that we can go anywhere and do anything with a co-operative effort. We found out that it is differences amongst us which make us strong. We want to share what we know and learn what the other guy knows. We hope and believe that everyone we encounter will be enriched by our interaction, as will we.
Star Trek isn't fundamentally a show about outer space; it's a show about the space between our ears, about an idealized human race--a most healthy aspiration which is actually entirely within our collective grasp, TODAY!
Drama in Star Trek
Even in the most utopian society possible, there will always be SOME antagonism--some segment of the general population that just won't get with the program, who insist that their personal 'rights' to be a public nuisance are being curtailed; it is simply the incontrovertible nature of life as we know it. How do we deal with 'em when they crop up? Do we simply phaser 'em 'till they glow, then photon torpedo them in the dark? Not on Star Trek, we don't! Instead, we are presented with a whole plethora of Humanistic options for non-violent conflict resolution. We talk. We listen. We care about the other guy as much as we do ourselves. We learn to live together.
In 'City On The Edge Of Forever' we explore the ramifications of being able to literally change our past. In 'Galileo Seven' we observe the difficulties encountered by a leader who is too different from his group to be well liked or trusted. In 'Court Martial' we see the lengths to which someone might go when they become obsessed with revenge. "Devil In The Dark' deals with cross cultural misunderstanding. "Let This be Your Last Battlefield', the futility of racial hatred.
Was Trelaine a dangerous sociopath, or just a spoiled little boy who happened to be all-powerful? What about Q? Was Kirk trying to obviate the loneliness of command with an endless parade of 'space babes'? Did Spock ever really make peace with his father, or did they finally just 'agree to disagree'? (Watch Sarek's facial expressions closely on this one!) Was McCoy really simply trying to draw Spock out of himself with all of the baiting and argument they indulged in? Do you think it worked at all? Was the sharing of the Katra at the end of STII:TWOK actually a metaphor for that relationship?
Star Trek makes us think. Thinking makes us better. Sharing our thoughts with each other makes us all WAY better. This is ultimately the identical process which goes on every day in psychologist's offices and self help seminars and some of the better churches all over the world--but Star Trek can reach a lot more people.
Profound and intellectual? I really have no idea, but basic human truths?.....I guarantee it!
Retired clinical psychologist and university professor, happily married, untimate Spock fan
