A Tribute to Star Trek

As I recall, Friday nights were always kind of dry as far as TV shows were concerned. I think this is because producers knew people wouldn't be as likely to stay in. However, Friday nights at our house growing up consisted of a trip to Pizza Hut followed by an all-new episode of Star Trek Voyager. I loved that show! Something about the clean metallic walls and space travel helped me sleep at night.

By the time in high school that my sister introduced me to Star Trek Deep Space Nine, I knew that to watch it would be a "nerdy" taboo. I never liked it as much as Voyager, but I did watch it.

When the new Star Trek movie came out this summer, I wasn't in line to go see it or anything. But I had already planned a trip to Wichita, and the chance to surprise my parents by showing up at the theater presented itself. Even though I missed the first 30 minutes, the movie was great! And so I rented it when it came out.

That got me interested in the original series, which I subsequently Netflixed.

I'm not going to lie, I loved it! I think the terrible special effects are especially appealing to someone of my generation, but it was a good show. It was about a captain of a ship who maintained a moral high road above all, who was advised by a man who only knew logic, and of all the adventures they had.

Many episodes didn't seem like what I thought of as Star Trek. All aliens were just humans with incredible psychic powers. The myth that humans were always the lowest life-form may have began here (doesn't it seem that in any science fiction, aliens always have some sort of advantage, whether physical or telekinetic, over humans, and yet the humans win?)

And, frankly, I can't see how the TV series evolved into something so associated with nerdiness. I believe part of the problem was "Trekkies" themselves. Here people who already struggled to get along in society or relate to their peers found an immense joy in something fictional that they could all share. A love of science seems to be implied, but a love of fantasy is also there. Ultimately, Star Trek is just a story - and who doesn't love a good story?

Still, fascination with Star Trek seems to have a more negative connotation than, say, fascination with sports. Society at large seems to have chosen one hobby that is acceptable over another hobby that is not. Why is that? Is it because sports are in the now, while Star Trek is a fictional future? Is it because people think (wrongly, I believe) that you need to have some understanding and love of science to relate to science fiction? Is it because sports are seen as more manly, and therefore men who like Star Trek are not following the pre-defined evolutionary route of man?

Whatever the cause, there is a sad result. Even people who casually like Star Trek (here defined as watching any or all of the series or movies but not going to conventions or buying exorbitant amounts of souveniers) and see its value as a good story feel compelled to hide this interest. On the radio this summer, I heard DJ's surprised that the Star Trek movie was so good, and a third DJ was being called a Trekkie even though it sounded like he only watched casually.

Much like in my Tribute to Crossword puzzles, I don't think that interests and hobbies should be so dramatically belittled by society, especially considering that a person may have little control over his interests. Someone may not be able to join in his buddies' review of the funniest parts of "The Office" because he was watching the latest Star Trek series, but he should at least feel free to say so.

And that goes for other "nerdy" past times as well. Anything sci-fi or fantasy related shouldn't be shunned by society. I have also enjoyed, in my time, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Sherlock Holmes, but you would have to hang me by my nails to get me to admit it in a room full of strangers.

And finally, Star Trek represents many aspects of The Great Thinkers of history. For it was the Trekkies of their day who pioneered almost any scientific advancement we enjoy today. Further, Star Trek pioneered social reforms as well, as it envisoned a future without race and where women were equal to men, and it did so without the obvious political undertones seen in so many of today's TV shows.

So if you have the ability, watch a season of Star Trek sometime. You may be pleasantly surprised. (Just avoid the movie Star Trek I - somebody had a serious case of writer's block when that one was made).