STAR TREK, empowering

[JesterFace]

Is Star Trek more than a TV show for you? For me The Next Generation is much more. It's a tradition to watch my favorite episodes every summer. It's something I look forward to all year every year.

After a life changing diagnosis TNG's meaning has only increased. I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis or MS in 2007. It's not the most dangerous disease ever, not life threatening, but it has made life harder. TNG has given me power, even if there are disgusting symptoms in every day life, it's always fun to remember there will be a time when I watch TNG again. Obviously TNG is not the only show I draw this ”energy” from, but it's THE BEST and the one I look forward the most. I love TNG so much it's unreal.

And when I'm done with TNG, it's not the only good Trek out there. TOS and DS9 will be next... =)

Right now it's summer, so that means more TNG coming, soon!

 

[BillJ]

Is Star Trek more than a TV show for you?

TOS is. Because it is something that I became attached to during my rough formative years.

 

[2takesfrakes]

I've never found STAR TREK "empowering," but more often than not, find it wonderfully entertaining. Of course, I needn't remind anyone how mean and nasty the World can be, so it's very charming and quite special to see an imaginary place like this franchise's setting, where innocence and magic still exist. And as far as the "message(s)" of STAR TREK goes, I guess it's The Romantic in me that is very attracted to the idea that Humanity can do better, that it wants to do better. Unfortunately, though, The People of Earth didn't choose it, they kind of had Aliens make everything better for them.

And that kind of neutered that whole, "the future really is going to be a better place," argument for this form of entertainment, but whatever. Even though STAR TREK will take us way, far out into The Land of Make-Believe, it's never so far that we don't recognize situations that could conceivably crop up, in real life. I mean ... I don't relate to anyone on STAR TREK, not even my beloved TNG, but ... I can empathyze with a character's predicament, or, albeit rarely, even identify with a certain situation. It's great entertainment on a lot of levels, and that's without even going to conventions, or anything.

 

[trevanian]

I'd say it helped me form standards for friendship that are nearly impossible to find in the real world, which made me a lot more cynical. A lot of my idealism came from stuff that Gene Coon wrote or rewrote, and a certain amount of cynicism as well (look at the antagonist in THE QUESTOR TAPES, who is clearly among Coon's contributions, and you'll see why I have that character as a standard to measure antagonists who are of ethical stature.)

It has had way too much impact on my life, I'll say that. I've never felt like dressing up or acting out (though I have CRAVED getting a TFF hand phaser), but some TOS sensibility does inform a lot of my worldview (I'd include DS9, but I feel pretty much all of that greatness is built into TOS on one level or other.)

A lot of people I've met idolize Kirk, but that is in a wish-fulfillment way. For me, McCoy is the true hero, because he can't do drop kicks or pick up any chick he wants, but he still stands with them anyway, just on guts and conviction and out of friendship and the need to do what is right. Between THE EMPATH and what he says to god in TFF, he's pretty much IT in my mind and heart, as far as a fictional character one can aspire to being like.

 

[Melakon]

Is Star Trek more than a TV show for you?

TOS is. Because it is something that I became attached to during my rough formative years.

Likewise.

 

[USS Triumphant]

I used to find it somewhat empowering when I was in my teens and 20s. But a combination of life in general, failures of the real world space programs to live up to my hopes for them, and Star Trek: Voyager (and what came after) has left me dead inside.

 

[wulfio]

I think so. TNG and Picard especially inspired me as a child, all the way through adult hood, to broaden my horizons through philosophy, sociology, travel, science, and varied experiences that fall on all ends of the spectrum.

I don`t know that I end up the way I do, and do the things I have done without that example.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Watching Star Trek as a child definitely opened my mind to different ideas about what might be possible in the future. And I don't think just because there's bad stuff going on right now that it's not possible for things to be better, and to be frank nobody was thinking that way until the bad stuff moved to their doorstep. 90s idealism may have had the fatal flaw of cowardice, but that doesn't mean it has to be that way next time the pendulum swings that way.

I think most people are good people, and it's just mostly the bad ones who end up in power, because they're the only ones who really want it.

 

[AgentCoop]

The main thing about Trek that touches me on a deep, personal level are the friendships. Whether it's Kirk, Spock and McCoy, Picard, Riker and Data, Sisko, Kira and Dax, or what have you. The same can be said of most of the franchises that mean the most to me: Whether it's Trek, Star Wars, Buffy, Batman or a dozen others, I love the idea that a person in the most dire circumstances can find other people to connect to. People that will, if necessary, lay down their lives for you (and you would do the same for them). That idea may not be all that realistic, but I think it's worth aspiring to, nonetheless.

 

[bbailey861]

Is Star Trek more than a TV show for you?

TOS is. Because it is something that I became attached to during my rough formative years.

Likewise.

Me too. It wasn't so much empowering as it was inspiring and something that made me think a little more in between all the fun I had watching it.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

It gets me out of the house every single day.

Oh wait..

 

[Nightdiamond]

I think it was smart and admirable of Gene to portray Star Trek where humans 'made it' and solved a lot of their problems.

He could have just made a future sci fi show that emphasized advanced technology and space travel, but he insisted that humans be portrayed as having evolved beyond racism, prejudices, war and financial inequality.

People have great health, plenty of food and generally are well off.


If he had gone the other route, Star Trek could have vanished with all the other sci fi shows.

Notice how whenever there's an anniversary special or documentary about it, guest commentators always mention the "that we made it" part, referring to the future.

So I think it's become a part of mainstream consciousness now.

Not to mention that Orion slave girls are hot.

 

[Anji]

JesterFace, enjoy your TNG! I am a big fan, too.

Star Trek, in most of its incarnations, was designed to bring a positive energy to it's viewers.

Trek is about hope and a bright future for all, irregardless of our differences. Our diversity is our strength. We all work together for a common good. We are only as strong as our weakest brother and it is our job to strengthen him.

Please enjoy and don't forget TOS. The friendship between Kirk/Spock/McCoy in the TV series and especially the movies have brought me great joy and hope that there are true friends still out there.