Something's been missing lately...

[Captain Robert April]

Every once in a while, it helps to have a reminder of what all this is about...

Gene Roddenberry, 1976:

I think probably the most often asked question about the show is, "Why the Star Trek Phenomenon?" And this isn't just a fan or a Trekkie question, this is being asked by communications experts, socialogists, there have been some Master's theses written on it, and there are a couple of Doctorates at work. And it could be an important question because you can ask, "How can a simple space opera with blinking lights and zap-guns and a hobgoblin with pointy ears reach out and touch the hearts and minds of literally millions of people, and become a cult in some cases?"

Obviously, what this means is that television has incredible power. They're saying that if a Star Trek can do this, then perhaps another carefully calculated show could move people in other directions. What's to keep selfish interests from creating other cults for selfish purposes, industrial cartels, political parties, governments. Ultimate power in this world, as you know, has always been one simple thing, the control and manipulation of minds

Fortunately, any attempt, however, to manipulate people through any so-called "Star Trek Formula" is doomed to failure, and I'll tell you why in just a moment.

First of all, our show did not reach and affect all these people because it was deep and great literature. Star Trek was not Ibsen or Shakespeare. To get a prime time show, a network show, on the air and to keep it there, you must attract and hold a minimum of 18 million people, every week. You have to do that in order to move people away from Gomer Pyle, Bonanza, Beverly Hillbillies and so on. And we tried to do this with entertainment, action, adventure, conflict and so on.

But once we got on the air, and within the limits of those action/adventure limits, we did not accept the myth that the television audience has an infantile mind. We had an idea, and we had a premise, and we still believe that. As a matter of fact we decided to risk the whole show on that premise. We believed that the often ridiculed mass audience is sick of this world’s petty nationalism and all its old ways and old hatreds, and that people are not only willing but anxious to think beyond those petty beliefs that have for so long kept mankind divided.

So you see that the formula, the magic ingredient, that many people keep seeking, and many of them keep missing, is really not in Star Trek, it is in the audience. There is an intelligent life form out on the other side of that television tube!

The whole show was an attempt to say that humanity will reach maturity and wisdom on the day that it begins not just to tolerate, but to take a special delight in differences in ideas and differences in life forms. We tried to say that the worst possible thing that can happen to all of us is for the future to somehow press us into a common mold, where we begin to act and talk and look and think alike. If we cannot learn to actually enjoy those small differences, take a positive delight in those small differences between our own kind here on this planet, then we do not deserve to go out into space and meet the diversity that is almost certainly out there.

And I think that this is what people responded to.

The result of that was that seven years after being dropped by the network for saying those things, there are now more people watching it than ever before. And if you ascribe those things to any mystic or scriptural brilliance in Star Trek, you miss the entire point. For Star Trek proves, as faulty as individual episodes could be, is that the much-maligned common man and common woman has an enormous hunger for brotherhood. They are ready for the 23rd century now, and they are light years ahead of their petty governments and their visionless leaders.

 

[The Boy Who Cried Worf]

Very well put. After all of the Martian invasion movies of the 50's I think audiences really enjoyed seeing people just like them working in outer space; exploring the Galaxy with bravery and honor; being able to defend themselves against alien threats either through strength or wits. Star Trek gave humanity a bright future. Something that was rare at the time.

 

[Gecko of Gorn]

I assumed from the thread title that a Helen Noel appreciation fest was in the works- it's about due...

Oh well.

 

[RichMerk]

Excellent words. First time I've read that. Copied and saved.

 

[Nerys Myk]

The whole show was an attempt to say that humanity will reach maturity and wisdom on the day that it begins not just to tolerate, but to take a special delight in differences in ideas and differences in life forms. We tried to say that the worst possible thing that can happen to all of us is for the future to somehow press us into a common mold, where we begin to act and talk and look and think alike. If we cannot learn to actually enjoy those small differences, take a positive delight in those small differences between our own kind here on this planet, then we do not deserve to go out into space and meet the diversity that is almost certainly out there.

Irony?

 

[ria 75]

I read a lot of wishful thinking in there. The TV viewer craves diversity, within the tube.
We don't really want to meet aliens.
But as far as TV is concerned, where we can go as far and as wild and as tolerant as we want, I admit that Star Trek was groundbreaking and that this level of tolerance for difference has rarely been achieved since.

I won't compare with Babylon 5, which is considered the most similar to Star Trek, because I am unfortunately not familiar with that show.

Farscape wins the prize for diversity and love of aliens but it is isolationist as far as Earth is concerned. A bit elitist in its tolerance. Rightly (?) pessimistic after all. (About the fears and intolerance of mankind and not idealizing aliens.)

Stargate can't work without an uber-enemy to annihilate and shows the same kind of protectionism.

In NuBattlestar Galactica, little diversity, no aliens per se. The enemy looks like you and me. The enemy is within. Although towards the end there is a strong message of tolerance and unity (I'm only halfway through the last season). Maybe this is the one with the best message because there is no need of difference in appearance to trigger intolerance. There are all kinds of differences to divide factions. Yes, the human looks of cylons helps them be accepted, but at least they're being accepted at some point. And the show blows the whistle on "enlightened dictatorship" and science gone mad (or more specifically, the fear of artificial intelligence as in 2001, Blade Runner and Terminator).

Keep the intelligent shows coming.

 

[Captain Robert April]

The theme of the rebooted BSG was best stated by Pogo about a hundred years ago:

We have met the enemy, and he is us.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Farscape wins the prize for diversity and love of aliens...

That much is certain.

 

[Sovay]

I'm a long-time humanist, and I think the sheer optimist for humanity is part of what makes me love trek so much. I think the second to last paragraph sums that up well.

 

[Captain Robert April]

Now if I could just dig up the quotes from Isaac Asimov from "Inside Star Trek". They'd be very useful in the latest "what is science fiction?" discussion.

 

[M'Sharak]

The theme of the rebooted BSG was best stated by Pogo about a hundred years ago:

We have met the enemy, and he is us.

Well, close to forty, anyway. That exact statement first appeared in 1970, though a longer version paraphrasing a well-known historic communique came earlier, in Walt Kelly's foreword to a 1953 book.


M', Pogo canon expert

 

[ria 75]

The theme of the rebooted BSG was best stated by Pogo about a hundred years ago:

We have met the enemy, and he is us.

That's part of what I meant by "The enemy is within." The enemy is among us and (or because) the enemy is within us.

*googlizes "pogo"* The comic?

 

[Gary7]

Thanks for raising this again, Captain April.

If human beings at the time of Star Trek's debut were still locked in fear of differences, the show would have tanked. The 60's was a very pivotal time in social evolution. People were actively looking to embrace differences, but the media was being run by the old guard and couldn't understand that point of view. Gene was clever enough to sidestep them in promising something generalized and delivering something that was close enough to fit while pushing the limits on diversity. He took a big risk and it paid off well--he rallied a whole new cultural segment.

Of course today, "the sky is the limit". People actively seek out diversity and practically shun normalcy, with the media feeding that need as long as money is being made. At times it becomes contrived and patronizing... which then starts to lose the original spirit of what the Star Trek phenomenon was based on.

We seem to have achieved an open and accepted "delight in small differences," while at the same time also have acquired an acceptance of overt simplicity. Easy entertainment. Remember, some of the complaints about TOS by the nuTrekkers was that it was too cerebral. Gimme action or gimme another show.

Gene said that people "are ready for the 23rd century now, and they are light years ahead of their petty governments and their visionless leaders." But if those institutions and leaders are in control, then the people must speak up and act out against what is wrong and support what is right for the greater good. Otherwise... well, corruption runs rampant as safeguards are traded away for favors and communal plundering, with the general public not even taking notice until the shit hits the fan. I sincerely hope the nuGovernment paves a new path towards vision rich leaders and public servitude with integrity. We need it badly.

 

[ria 75]

HERBERTS!

 

[Gary7]

I reach, sister!!

 

[Praetor]

Thanks for raising this again, Captain April.

If human beings at the time of Star Trek's debut were still locked in fear of differences, the show would have tanked. The 60's was a very pivotal time in social evolution. People were actively looking to embrace differences, but the media was being run by the old guard and couldn't understand that point of view. Gene was clever enough to sidestep them in promising something generalized and delivering something that was close enough to fit while pushing the limits on diversity. He took a big risk and it paid off well--he rallied a whole new cultural segment.

Of course today, "the sky is the limit". People actively seek out diversity and practically shun normalcy, with the media feeding that need as long as money is being made. At times it becomes contrived and patronizing... which then starts to lose the original spirit of what the Star Trek phenomenon was based on.

We seem to have achieved an open and accepted "delight in small differences," while at the same time also have acquired an acceptance of overt simplicity. Easy entertainment. Remember, some of the complaints about TOS by the nuTrekkers was that it was too cerebral. Gimme action or gimme another show.

Gene said that people "are ready for the 23rd century now, and they are light years ahead of their petty governments and their visionless leaders." But if those institutions and leaders are in control, then the people must speak up and act out against what is wrong and support what is right for the greater good. Otherwise... well, corruption runs rampant as safeguards are traded away for favors and communal plundering, with the general public not even taking notice until the shit hits the fan. I sincerely hope the nuGovernment paves a new path towards vision rich leaders and public servitude with integrity. We need it badly.

That was a really awesome essay there, Gary7.

 

[Gary Sebben]

Too bad when he created TNG he made a crew of people who all think alike and act alike and never fight and look down their noses at every backwards alien they met. Kind of like futuristic English Imperials that don't conquer, but are still jerks.

 

[AtoZ]

Too bad when he created TNG he made a crew of people who all think alike and act alike and never fight and look down their noses at every backwards alien they met. Kind of like futuristic English Imperials that don't conquer, but are still jerks.

I almost agree. TNG had some good moments and two or three good characters, but mostly it was preachy, smug, too much talk and too "sanitized" to keep me interested. I won't even get into the lack of passion.

 

[Warped9]

Every once in a while, it helps to have a reminder of what all this is about...

Gene Roddenberry, 1976:

I think probably the most often asked question about the show is, "Why the Star Trek Phenomenon?" And this isn't just a fan or a Trekkie question, this is being asked by communications experts, socialogists, there have been some Master's theses written on it, and there are a couple of Doctorates at work. And it could be an important question because you can ask, "How can a simple space opera with blinking lights and zap-guns and a hobgoblin with pointy ears reach out and touch the hearts and minds of literally millions of people, and become a cult in some cases?"

Obviously, what this means is that television has incredible power. They're saying that if a Star Trek can do this, then perhaps another carefully calculated show could move people in other directions. What's to keep selfish interests from creating other cults for selfish purposes, industrial cartels, political parties, governments. Ultimate power in this world, as you know, has always been one simple thing, the control and manipulation of minds

Fortunately, any attempt, however, to manipulate people through any so-called "Star Trek Formula" is doomed to failure, and I'll tell you why in just a moment.

First of all, our show did not reach and affect all these people because it was deep and great literature. Star Trek was not Ibsen or Shakespeare. To get a prime time show, a network show, on the air and to keep it there, you must attract and hold a minimum of 18 million people, every week. You have to do that in order to move people away from Gomer Pyle, Bonanza, Beverly Hillbillies and so on. And we tried to do this with entertainment, action, adventure, conflict and so on.

But once we got on the air, and within the limits of those action/adventure limits, we did not accept the myth that the television audience has an infantile mind. We had an idea, and we had a premise, and we still believe that. As a matter of fact we decided to risk the whole show on that premise. We believed that the often ridiculed mass audience is sick of this world’s petty nationalism and all its old ways and old hatreds, and that people are not only willing but anxious to think beyond those petty beliefs that have for so long kept mankind divided.

So you see that the formula, the magic ingredient, that many people keep seeking, and many of them keep missing, is really not in Star Trek, it is in the audience. There is an intelligent life form out on the other side of that television tube!

The whole show was an attempt to say that humanity will reach maturity and wisdom on the day that it begins not just to tolerate, but to take a special delight in differences in ideas and differences in life forms. We tried to say that the worst possible thing that can happen to all of us is for the future to somehow press us into a common mold, where we begin to act and talk and look and think alike. If we cannot learn to actually enjoy those small differences, take a positive delight in those small differences between our own kind here on this planet, then we do not deserve to go out into space and meet the diversity that is almost certainly out there.

And I think that this is what people responded to.

The result of that was that seven years after being dropped by the network for saying those things, there are now more people watching it than ever before. And if you ascribe those things to any mystic or scriptural brilliance in Star Trek, you miss the entire point. For Star Trek proves, as faulty as individual episodes could be, is that the much-maligned common man and common woman has an enormous hunger for brotherhood. They are ready for the 23rd century now, and they are light years ahead of their petty governments and their visionless leaders.

This is an understatement.

 

[cbspock]

Too bad when he created TNG he made a crew of people who all think alike and act alike and never fight and look down their noses at every backwards alien they met. Kind of like futuristic English Imperials that don't conquer, but are still jerks.

and today we call them Liberals They were a bunch of political correct freaks running around the galaxy.


-Chris