I Heart Star Trek

So I was really excited the other day, when I got home and found my ears in the mailbox.

Not my real ears, of course. Those are firmly attached to the sides of my head, where they perform the vital functions of allowing me to hear, holding up my sunglasses, and providing a high speed expressway into my skull for bugs. No, no, I am talking about my Spock ears. Yes, I ordered some Spock ears online last week, and they finally arrived. I ordered them because I intend to wear them on Friday, when I go see the new Star Trek movie (cleverly named Star Trek). Because that is how I roll.

Yes, I love Star Trek. Unlike those people who feel uncomfortable with the name and prefer “Trekker,” I am a full fledged Trekkie, and proud of it. To me, saying that you are a “Trekker” is just a way of saying that you are ashamed of your love of Star Trek and trying to hide it behind a veneer of self deprecation. Whereas a Trekkie proudly embraces her geekness.

Yes, that is me. I am a geek. I know it, I accept it, I love it. I have the entire original Star Trek on DVD, as well as all the movies. I can quote lines from them. I own tons of Star Trek novels and dolls (or “action figures”). I have a Star Trek tattoo, for FSM’s sake.

I know some people wonder what the big deal is. What is it about this 40+ year old TV show that inspires such a devoted following? After all, you don't see people going to Green Acres conventions, or buying Gunsmoke action figures. What is it about Star Trek that makes it so special?

I can't answer for anyone else, of course, but I love it for several reasons. First off, is the simple quality of the shows. A terrible Star Trek episode (and there are many--yes, I am talking to you, "Spock's Brain"!) is much better than a good episode of a lot of the crap that is on TV. The stories are interesting, and the writing and acting are usually pretty good.

Secondly, the characters are just so perfect. They are real people, with insecurities and faults and wonderfully deep emotions. The arrogant, confident, swaggering captain, who cares for each member of his crew and will do everything in his power to keep them safe. The coolly, relentlessly logical science-answer-man, who nonetheless has a deep core of affection for his human friends. The self doubting doctor, who somehow always manages to find the answers and save the day. And then there is their interaction, as friends and crewmates. When Kirk risks his career to save Spock's life, I think we can all identify with that. We all hope we would have a friend that cared enough about us to do that. And though Spock and McCoy fight all the time, you know that underneath, they really care for each other.

I think the most attractive element of the show, though, is the wonderful vision of the future that it presents. Lots of science fiction shows a dystopian future: the planet ruined, humanity destroyed by war or disease or environmental catastrophe. Even the ones that look really nice usually have a rotten core, with evil dictators or mind-control or mad robots behind the scenes. Basically, the future never looks like someplace you would want to live. And then along comes Star Trek. In that future, humanity, instead of destroying itself with some sort of doomsday weapon, has become united. People are no longer judged by their race or sex, or hell, even by their species (Vulcans are people too, you know). Poverty and war and disease have been erased from Earth. And people flourish, spreading into space, exploring, ever onward. As Tennyson says in "Ulysses": "To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."

So that is why I love Star Trek. And that is why I took off work Friday afternoon, to go see the new movie. I already have my tickets. And I've got my Spock ears, and a Star Trek themed shirt to wear. And I will be there, all geeked out and proud of it. I hope I'll see you there!