Memory Alpha

Among my many cherished childhood conceptions that fell apart when lit up by facts, one of the most heartening was that I was not the sc-fi know-all that I once thought myself to be. As I discovered the wealth of the genre beyond the few Asimov and HG Wells titles I'd read as a kid, I went from amazement at the wide appeal of utopian fantasising about the future to disappointment at the assembly line nature of many of my recent science fiction reads. However, the waning share that the genre held of my general interests stands in stark contrast to what I have made of star trek over the years.

As a teen, I couldn't flip the channel any sooner when I ran into the funny suited humanoids during my regular exercise in television ADHD. Then, there were the times when I trawled wikipedia for star trek trivia purely for quizzing reasons while staying shut off from the show itself. It was only recently, when in a stroke of marketing genius, they made all the TOS episodes from the sixties available for free on cbs and netflix to build anticipation for the movie release that I, among many others I suspect, was convinced to give the actual show a chance.

I started watching TOS, digitally remastered, and was soon hooked. Each episode packed a wealth of information about the star trek universe that was sure to entice a trivia lover, while also presenting a fascinating contrast of personalities. The pervasive sexism which consigned Lt. Uhura mostly to monosyllabic responses and condemned all the women on board to wearing ridiculous skirts and being ruled almost entirely by their emotions was definitely jarring. While this is usually explained through the lens of the 1960s whereby having a female black lieutenant in an American show itself was progressive, it is interesting to note that while star trek TOS seems to have done away with racial (earth races, not alien ones of course) prejudice almost entirely, the gender divide was only partially mitigated. Larry Summers and cohorts will definitely have their arguments for this, but it does fit in with the general American trend where the cause of gender equality has lagged behind racial equality, be it voting rights, professional acceptance or the presidency. In any case, I soon realised that my near-religious appreciation of star-trek dogma as a portent of a progressive future was sorely lacking- Star trek is less about our future and more about the 1960s liberal's view of what the future ought to be.

The most immediate narrative that star trek offers is the contrast between the coldly logical and always correct Mr.Spock who typifies his people from the planet Vulcan and the humans on the starship exemplified by the sharp and instinctive Capt.Kirk and warm but volatile Dr.McCoy. The story arc presents moments where Mr.Spock's logical mind proves superior, but also many where Kirk's daring chances do what Spock's rationale doesn't. The general drift from TOS was that while logic made Mr.Spock an exceptional first officer who's most efficient in his duties, the captain needed more than just that. Captain Kirk, apart from (or perhaps including) wooing a wide variety of interstellar beauties is presented as the ideal human being, sharp in intellect but also deeply emotional.

Once into a few episodes, what struck me the most was how even in this utopian vision of the future, the beacon of civilisation needs to be carried by a military ship, complete with rank and code. Although the Enterprise is rulebound and meticulous in its attempt at fairness, it is disheartening to accept that even in the best of cases, there have to be villains and there has to be an interstellar policeman. Although the crew of the enterprise is diverse in an earthen sense, there seems to be little difference with the the 1960s when one compares the federation to the west and the Clingons or Ramulans to the Soviets. Star trek seems to suggest that even when the entire 1960s world united under western values, there would be renegades from other planets, only for a similar scenario to repeat at a grander level. The supposed durability of western values that is implicit here notwithstanding, this might very well be true. But I wish it didn't have to be in a series that, at least partially, explores many existentialist themes through a decidedly positive lens.

To put the paragraphs above into context, it must be said that I have pointed out these negatives only because of the high standard I hold star trek to. The merits of the show are self-evident. As in the 1960s when the giant leaps of science seemed to bring more harm than good, we are facing a crisis today where seemingly irreconcilable differences are arising between cultures as western hegemony fades. Albeit fictional, the fact that entire narratives like Star Trek arose in the minds of humans then holds out hope that there might just be enough of us who will see something beyond narrow self interest that can make life meaningful. Star trek had increasing complexity and the search for the unknown while staying true to the self. Despite its shorcomings, it is a beginning.