Why do non-fans think we think it's real?

[gomtuu20]

Why do non-fans think we believe Star Trek is real? I don't understand that. When I was in Junior High School I had a couple of Star Trek iron-on T-shirts; one that said "How's your Tribble" with a picture of a tribble and another that said "Klingon Power" with a picture of the Klingon ship. I actually had other kids going around saying that I thought Star Trek was real. While I thoroughly love the "Galaxy Quest" movie, one of the plot lines in the movie is an example of this myth. It's just one of those things that I have always found strange. What are your thougts?

 

[YARN]

Why do non-fans think we believe Star Trek is real? I don't understand that. When I was in Junior High School I had a couple of Star Trek iron-on T-shirts; one that said "How's your Tribble" with a picture of a tribble and another that said "Klingon Power" with a picture of the Klingon ship. I actually had other kids going around saying that I thought Star Trek was real. While I thoroughly love the "Galaxy Quest" movie, one of the plot lines in the movie is an example of this myth. It's just one of those things that I have always found strange. What are your thougts?

Dude, it is real. You think I went to the trouble of learning Klingon to talk to myself?

 

[AdmiralGarak]

You think I went to the trouble of learning Klingon to talk to myself?

HIja'.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

....



....




....




...it's not real?

Oh NOW you tell me!!!

 

[Alienesse]

What do you mean it's not real? I just bumped into Scotty!

Seriously now, couldn't it be that those very people gomtuu20 is talking about are the ones who don't know the difference between fiction and reality? And I really saw a guy in the street today that looked like Scotty, honest to Surak.

Besides, to a certain extent, Star Trek is real. We have mobile phones, iPads, computers, Internet, even automatic doors. Almost every time I use my cell phone I think about the fact that I'm actually holding a piece of Star Trek in my hands and that gives me great joy, because it makes it real.

 

[Nardpuncher]

This has happened to me a few times over the years too.

I also wish people would ask me first before they assume I believe in UFOs because I like Star Trek.

 

[Pauln6]

I think non-fans may have difficulty getting to grips with the nature of allegorical storytelling. Scarily, a lot of people also believe that actors in soaps really are their characters. Some poor actors get abused in the streets by crazy women if their characters are mean.

 

[Deckerd]

It's the ones who think warp drive engines are a possibility that make me wonder about their sanity.

 

[iguana_tonante]

Why do non-fans think we believe Star Trek is real? I don't understand that. (...) It's just one of those things that I have always found strange. What are your thougts?

I've never met anyone who thought I believed Star Trek was real.

 

[Forbin]

Just ask them if they think they're really members of their favorite sports team when they wear the team's jersey, and paint their faces in team colors, and tattoo the team's friggin logo on their arms.

 

[Cheapjack]

I tell you what convinced me:

That bit in 'Amok Time', when Leonard Nimoy took a fit and lumped his monitor flat.

Only a true half vulcan, with the strength of two men, could do that.

 

[mythme]

It's the ones who think warp drive engines are a possibility that make me wonder about their sanity.

Doesn't Stephen Hawking think they are a possibility?

 

[Praxius]

Why do non-fans think we believe Star Trek is real? I don't understand that. When I was in Junior High School I had a couple of Star Trek iron-on T-shirts; one that said "How's your Tribble" with a picture of a tribble and another that said "Klingon Power" with a picture of the Klingon ship. I actually had other kids going around saying that I thought Star Trek was real. While I thoroughly love the "Galaxy Quest" movie, one of the plot lines in the movie is an example of this myth. It's just one of those things that I have always found strange. What are your thougts?

It's because Star Wars fans think their movies are real, they decided to form up a religion...... they in turn think that Star Trek fans are the same, especially since klingon dictionaries exist..... only star trek fans are nerdier because there's no light sabers and evil Vader.

It's the ones who think warp drive engines are a possibility that make me wonder about their sanity.

Doesn't Stephen Hawking think they are a possibility?

I don't think it was him.... he just believes we should never contact any aliens because he believes they'll only be out to kill us all and rape our planet of its resources.

I believe it was in Shatner's documentary "How William Shatner Changed the World" ~ Where they interviewed some wiz who actually said faster then light speed is theoretically possible, based on moving space around the ship, rather then moving the ship through space..... which I believe Scotty touched on in Star Trek 2009 when he was trying to figure out how to transport at warp speed.

The conclusion was that because space was moving around the ship and not the ship moving through space, that there'd be no issues with mass and speed, etc. that originally restricted the concept of faster then light speed.

The only problem is that it takes a tremendous amount of energy to move space.... which the dilithium crystals exist to fill in that gap..... but technically speaking, if one could produce enough energy, one could produce warp speed.

 

[Deckerd]

It's the ones who think warp drive engines are a possibility that make me wonder about their sanity.

Doesn't Stephen Hawking think they are a possibility?

Not tidily packed into a small spaceship he doesn't.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

I suspect they don't appreciate how captivating good fiction -- whether in a novel or on a large or small screen -- can be. And how true it can be, without being factual.

In my other favorite fantasy universe, they'd all be muggles.

 

[Ziz]

Just ask them if they think they're really members of their favorite sports team when they wear the team's jersey, and paint their faces in team colors, and tattoo the team's friggin logo on their arms.

Ditto.

It's just their way of feeling superior and pissing you off.

That being said, I always like to think that some of the other stuff like warp drive and transporters will eventually happen, thereby making Trek truly real and proving all of them wrong, it probably just won't be in my lifetime.

 

[Greg Cox]

It's not just a TREK thing. Some people just don't comprehend appreciating fiction as fiction. Look at the nutcases who think that the Harry Potter books are going to convert children to Satanism or whatever. And, growing up, I don't know how many times I had to explain to concerned teachers and grown-ups that, no, I didn't really believe in vampires and werewolves. I just liked to read about them.

The other explanation, of course, is that the really nutty fans, who take Trek or Star Wars or Twilight too seriously, are the ones who get all the press!

 

[barnaclelapse]

I suppose it's because the franchise generates so much sincere, serious discussion amongst its fan base. I've never actually met someone who believed with frightening dedication that all of it was one hundred percent non-fiction.

Star Trek isn't the only thing to get this reputation from non-fans. I've run into similar reactions from people regarding everything from pro wrestling to old sitcoms.

For me it's just fun to discuss/debate things like movies, video games and TV shows. As long as no one gets TOO invested in it I get a big kick out of it all.

 

[Sigh]

This has happened to me a few times over the years too.

I also wish people would ask me first before they assume I believe in UFOs because I like Star Trek.

Put it on a t-shirt.

 

[UncleRogi]

Another problem non-TrekKers can't get around is the large continuity base vs Trek Lit. (Iknow, I know--another arguement) Most of us can rattle off trivia endlessly.

Sherlock Holmes is another fictional character that a lot of otherwise grounded folks will get red in the face insisting was a real person.