Why does Star Trek appeal to you?

[erhershman]

First off, I'll apologize in advance if anyone thinks what I wrote here is long-winded and overly philisophical. Now without further ado...


I've thought a lot sometimes about what makes Star Trek so popular, and in particular what draws me to watch it. Industry reviewers and others have over the years tried to "discern" what appeals to so many people about Trek, and why the franchise has endured and done so well as long as it has.

So the question I'd like to ask everyone is:

What is it about Star Trek that appeals to you? What draws you to watch the shows and movies, even if you're not sure of the quality of some of it? Why do you enjoy Trek?

I guess for me there's a 'simple answer' and a 'deeply psychological answer.'

The simple one would be that I am a sci-fi fan in general, and Star Trek appeals to my interest in that. I definitely enjoy the action when they have it, and I like the way they've done such a good job of making the Trek universe a coherent place that "feels real" in a way.

And now for the 'deeply psychological answer.'
I suppose, deep down, the real reason I enjoy Star Trek is because of the positive message of the future that it portrays. While that is an often-stated reason for Star Trek's success, for me it goes deeper than that. I absolutely HATE science-fiction that is ultra-gritty or post-apocalyptic. I like to think that there's more in store in the future for humanity than disarray, destruction, and a new Dark Age. And Star Trek is just about the only show out there that shows us a POSITIVE view of our future. Even when the writing is bad or the plots are repetitive (TOS is notorious for cheesiness) the important thing to me is that they show people of all different races, nationalities, backgrounds, and personalities working together towards a worthy goal, without thought of monetary reward or other such things.
When I look at the world around me today, sometimes it's hard for me to see beyond the war, death, crime, and hate that I see and hear about everywhere I go. Star Trek is a reminder that, just maybe, there's a chance that everything will work out in the end.

Thanks for reading, and I'd appreciate the comments of others.

[Sho-sa Kurita]

And a big "AMEN" to that. All I can do is echo your sentiment.

[Phantom]

I'm not a philosophical man by any means, so I will go with a simple answer. I like it because it bestows the positive qualities that make us human. And I am also a hugh Sci-fi fan (particularly military sci-fi.)

[Karg]

Like Military Sci Fi

Love Starship Battles

Like the Morality plays that crop up in the shows

[Dan Stack]

At the risk of being heretical, I'll go out on a limb and say I like Star Trek despite its vision of the future. I'm just a primitive 21st century man, but I have to say I'm not 100% I'd like living in the Trek universe. But when I do like about the morality is when the ideals of the Federation are called into question - it makes them mean something. Could be why I love DS9 so much.

As for what I like... A bunch of things. The idea of the main premise - that of a lonely starship (or outpost) has a certain appeal to me, speaking to the kid who used to watch all the shuttle launches and learned everything about the space program he could.

Obviously I get some enjoyment out of the stories told in this universe.

Finally, as a details-oriented guy, all the nitty-gritty details of starships, technology, history, etc. as presented in the Trek-iverse really work for me.

[Phantom]

Never said I would like to live in Trek world. Too perfect for my tastes. If I had to pick, however, I would say the Earth of B5. Everything in B5 (Earth wise) is pretty much how I see the future, somewhere down the line.

To clarify I like the fact that huamns are able to pull together in the Trek universe...I'm a little leary of the whole Utopian ideal.

[redwood973]

The hot alien babes. Definitely the hot alien babes.

[Ramage]

Chalk me up for the grand morality plays, the hopeful vision of tomorrow, and getting beyond money...

(...sez the man trying to do his very complicated taxes, thanx to self-employment ...)

[Sho-sa Kurita]

Originally posted by Ramage
(...sez the man trying to do his very complicated taxes, thanx to self-employment ...)

See, you wouldn't have to do that in the UFP.

[Joe Dizzy]

Ethics and the positive outlook of the future.

One of the reasons I didn't really get into DS9. Too bleak and too much relativism for my kind of Trek.

[Aldaron]

I think, for one, the dream that I'd love to live in the UFP. Sometimes I wished I believed in either souls or reincarnations, then I could hope to be reincarnated and join Starfleet, but alas!

Also, I think, the view of a future which demonstrates tolerance of difference. Now, I know this is going to bring a chorus of "but the UFP is intolerant[" from all and sundry, but I disagree. I don't think the UFP is intolerant - except of intolerance itself.

There is nowhere in TNG where you cannot live however you choose, providing you are not violating another's rights. Even if Picard, Riker and Starfleet officers in general dislike something, they don't see it as their rightful place to interfere.

Witness The Masterpiece Society - despite Picard's disdain and dislike for genetic engineering, he still bends over backwards to protect the Genome Colony, pleading with those seeking asylum to review their decision - at least for 6 months.

Witness Sisko's chiding of Jake when the lad says something along the lines of the Bajoran religion being "stupid" (I think it was In The Hands of the Prophets - the one where Winn shut down Keiko's school). Despite his own beliefs, and Starfleet scientific outlook, Sisko still taught tolerance of religious beliefs that he himself did not share.

I'd like to think I "preach" the same thing - although I am an atheist, I'll happily fight for a person's right to practice their religious faith whilever it does not impinge on the rights of anyone else (which means no human sacrifices, sorry all you budding Satanists! ). And if a Starfleet officer's and my own "philosophy" are relatively similar, I think I like Trek because...

A) It offers an optimistic glimpse into humanity's future
B) It shows an alternative to a state founded on conquest, hate, intolerance and destruction, but rather founded on mutual tolerance, diplomacy and exploration, along with the accumulation of knowledge, and...
C) It reinforces my own position.

In essence, I guess, I look at Trek the way a Christian would look at the Bible. To me, it's a collection of stories with a message, about how to live a good life, and how to be a good person.

I had to laugh at myself a few months ago, actually. My son, Simon, is 6, and loves Trek. He often likes me to read the episode summaries from the Star Trek: Fact Files to him as a bedtime story.

Anyway, a month or two ago I was whinging about something or other (can't remember what it was now), and Simon shook his head at me and said: "Captain Picard would be cross if he heard you say that."

Took me back to my own childhood, with my Mum telling me how I was making Jesus sad if I lied, or hit my brother, or something along those lines.

I had to laugh at myself, because I realised that despite my persuit of rationalism, and my demand for evidence before I'll believe anything, I find myself still referring back to mythology to teach my son lessons, and I realised I will, from time to time, actually think to myself: "Okay, what would Picard do in this situation?".

I guess we all need a centre of some kind...

[erhershman]

Originally posted by Joe Dizzy
Ethics and the positive outlook of the future.

One of the reasons I didn't really get into DS9. Too bleak and too much relativism for my kind of Trek.

Amen. Although the characters were good, it was just a little too dark for my taste. ENTERPRISE may not have the best writing, acting, or characters in the world, but at least they've got a little bit more positive outlook on life.

[qerlin]

Simple. I like sci-fi. Good sci-fi. That's why I didn't watch some of the series. I preferred B5 and Farscape, myself, and reaally thought Firefly had potential. I preferred the attitude and universe of TOS to the TNG -- especially the first season or two, which I thought were really bloodless.

[Dan Stack]

My opinion of Sisko vs. Picard's Federation. And this does get back to what I like about Star Trek.

We'll start off with the premise that I am truly a 21st century primitve guy. I probably wouldn't fit in the Federation of Picard. I have certain beliefs, which fall into both the political and religious spectrums, which mean that the Federation, as seen inTNG, would at best, tolerate me. "Mr. Stack, you are free to live your life as wrong as you see fit."

But I like DS9. And not because it is too "grim and gritty". I've never seen the appeal of "grim and gritty". Hell, filling out my income tax is grim enough for me (six hours today).

The deal is... Picard always has the luxury of knowing he is right. Of course he is "right" by the standards of the show- after all he is the hero. But he always knows he is right. Those people scare me. Me, I'm a guy who has lots of doubts. I can, for example, support a controvertial course of action my government takes, believing it to be the right one, but still have some doubt it is the right one.

Picard never really has doubts like that. He never has to work things through. (Sure, there may be an episode or two where he has some indecision, but really, he always has that faith in himself. And those people scare the hell out of me. And for the most part, Picard=TNG.

Sisko, on the other hand, is DS9. His whole character is filled with doubt. Not the type of doubt that makes him paralyzed, unable to act, but the time of doubt that I can really believe in - "ok, I know what my ideals are, but I'm having a rough time applying those ideals to my situtaion. Are these ideals worth seeing everything I love and cherish wiped out?" He works his way through those though, he makes decisions. Sometimes he does some pretty rotten things.

I'm a big believer in the DS9 statement "it is easy to be a saint in paradise". I think DS9 does a great job of taking ideals and pitting them against a universe that laughs at those ideals. It asks tough questions, it tests those ideals. And sometimes those ideals are found wanting. Did Sisko do the right thing murdering and lying to bring Romulans into the war? Did Worf do the right thing saving his wife at the cost of a vital mission? The answers aren't easy. But these characters do try to do the right things in an imperfect universe. They don't always succeed.

DS9 beats the crap out of its characters. It hurts them, scars them, forces them to confront their flaws.

TNG characters don't have flaws.

I can relate to DS9 characters. I can't relate to TNG ones. Again, I'm just a 21st century guy. Maybe I'd be a better person if I could relate to the TNG characters. But they just don't seem real to me. The DS9 ones do.

I'm over-generalizing. There are of course, specific counter-examples, but I'm referring to more of a theme.

And truth be told, I do like TNG. It has some great stories and an interesting universe. But I sometimes have a hard time "connecting" with its heroes.

[Rayaru]

Actually I'm giving a presentation on this in my Health class this week

It portrays an image of the future in which humanity has defeated hunger, war, poverty, prejudice and all other major social evils that plauge 21st century society. In the Star Trek future, we've put aside all our differences and taken the next leap to those places where "no man has gone before." It may seem far off right now, but it gives us all something to strive for.