Star Trek Continues to Satisfy America's Quest for Moral Clarity, Says Consumer Anthropologist

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[chance33_98]

Star Trek Continues to Satisfy America's Quest for Moral Clarity, Says Kellogg School of Management Consumer Anthropologist

Good Versus Evil With a Technological-Spin Suited for Complex, Uncertain Times

EVANSTON, Ill., Dec. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Star Trek as mythology for the post-September 11 world? A consumer anthropologist at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management believes it is so.

"Star Trek is an ideal bellwether of our times," said Robert Kozinets, an assistant professor of marketing at the Kellogg School who has been studying Star Trek consumer behavior since 1995. "Right now, it is expressing American society's hunger for a sense of direction, of right and wrong, good and evil.

Star Trek has always been good at telling us that we can use powerful technology to do good, to prevail over evil by waging war."

It is for this reason that Kozinets believes that the December 13 release of Star Trek Nemesis, the tenth feature film in the science-fiction series, will probably resonate with American audiences. The movie, one of the most dark and violent in the series, comes at a time when the American public is seeking the reassurance that comes with clear moral guidance, and also anticipates the outbreak of a war based on moral differences.

Just as Star Trek's code of non-interference has often been thrown aside by two of its characters, Captains Kirk and Picard, Americans are currently dealing with a threatening new world in which tolerance must be tempered by pre-emptive action. In fact, Star Trek Nemesis is being released at a tense time similar to when the television series was first launched.

"The population today is very divided about what to do in the world," said Kozinets. "In uncertain times such as the present, fiction is favored because it can provide Americans with a reassuring sense of certainty, and it can offer a sense of past and tradition."

Examples are fables like Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and, of course, Star Trek.

"Star Trek actually portrays a very violent, warlike future, but, rooted in the 'flower power' sixties, it is also ultimately utopian and optimistic. It tells us that we have to fight for our utopia," added Kozinets.

It is this utopian vision and optimism that Kozinets believes provides Star Trek with much of its resilience and marketability. "To say the future is going to be better than now is a very powerful message, and in the Star Trek world it sells lots of book, mugs, and T-shirts," he said. "Consumers are eating up the world of fantasy right now, and I don't think that's mere coincidence."

[Texas_Jarhead]

"Actually if I recall from the ST: Generations movie, there was a scene where Picard was fantasizing about a traditional family Christmas Day."

Right. But that don't mean much. They didn't mention anything the pertaining to the holiday. It was just the setting for that scene. Similarly, Coca Cola has a tv commercial airing right now for the 'holiday season' in which specific mention is made of the 7 principles of Kwanza and the festival of lights but nothing on the birth of Christ. Which in America has been the 'reason for the season'. IMO, general reference to objects or traditions loosely related don't carry much religious weight.

[Texas_Jarhead]

"How would you inject Christian tradition into Star Trek?"
"How would you inject Christian tradition into Star Trek?" I wouldn't necessarily 'inject' anything. I was commenting more on how I think it is absurd that over the course of STNG, STDS9, STV, and the current incarnation with all the multitudes of historical references, objects, traditions, and spirituality incorporated that it is as if Christianity never existed. IOW, it seems as is the writers intentionally excluded references to the Christians influence on Western civilization. I heard the US mentioned numerous times. Western Europe as well. As well as aspects of modern culture but never Christianity.

"Also, how would you do it to include the various flavors of Christianity?"
Denominations are irrelevant. All true Christianity is based upon Christ.

[Brett66]

The Top Ten Classes at Starfleet Academy
10) Command 302: Winning in No-Win Situations
9) Communications 101: Opening Hailing Frequencies
8) Space Law 206: Avoiding Court-Martial
7) Navigation 101: Standard Orbits
6) Philosophy 203: Why All Major Systems Fail at the Same Time
5) Command 255: Choosing Minor Landing Party Members Who Will Die
4) Astrophysics 199: Recognizing Unknown Phenomenon
3) Command 309: Creative Obedience to Starfleet Orders
2) Engineering 422: Making Radical Technological Advances Under Time Pressure
1) Space Law 499: The Prime Directive and How to get around it

[A CA Guy]

I knew the writers were out of their minds when they said there was no such thing as money in the future (in a past movie with the Borg) and everybody worked for the common good. (COMMUNISM)

Beam them the writers up Scotty!!

[hunter112]

The classic 1960's Star Trek also included male-female gender roles that look fairly quaint today. More recent Star Treks have figured out that Christianity as it exists today will just not be a part of the everyday world in the 25th Century.

Contact with intelligent beings from other planets will surely shape the religious beliefs of Earth people. No branch of Christianity today appears as it did four or five hundred years ago (if such a denomination even existed), why should we expect them to be recognizable in a few centuries from now?

[Grig]

"The later incarnations of Star Trek do adopt a tone of, shall we say, religious neutrality"

I'd disagree with that. Next Gen was very anti-religion, with an attitude that it was something that only existed in more primitive cultures. DS9 and Voyager had elements of mysticism, but never supported the idea of there really being a God to whom we are accountable.

[Mr. Jeeves]

I remember back in the 70's watching a rerun of the orignal series where Kirk is having a dispute with "Apollo", an alien who has taken the form of the god Apollo. Apollo says something like, "You will kneel before all of the gods," and Kirk shot back, "We find the one sufficient."

They edited that line out afterward: you never see it on TV and I'm not sure it's in the DVD, either.

[Grig]

"I knew the writers were out of their minds when they said there was no such thing as money in the future (in a past movie with the Borg) and everybody worked for the common good. (COMMUNISM) "

No, not communism. In Trek, any physical item can be replicated faster and easier than burning a copy of a CD is today, so each person is able to aquire what they need/want quickly at no cost. Economics as we know it would not exist in such a situation and it would be as if every person was wealthy.

Freed from the need to aquire money, they devote their time to the pursuits that interest them most. They are not pooling the results of their labour and dividing them up.

[altair]

At the very end, though it is revealed that they are "Son," not "Sun" worshippers, as in "Son of God."

Ah, I had forgotten about that. That was an emotional scene and about as positive a reflection on Christianity as it gets.

The later incarnations of Star Trek do adopt a tone of, shall we say, religious neutrality (to their detriment, in my opinion), but there were some very powerful religious statements in the original series if you care to look for them.

Yes. That was when Roddenberry was at the helm.

[altair]

The classic 1960's Star Trek also included male-female gender roles that look fairly quaint today.

They were radical then. "You've come a long way, baby" and the original Star Trek was out in front leading the way.

[MadeInOhio]

For what it's worth, there was mention of God in the original series. I refer to the episode where Kirk was on this planet ruled by Apollo, the last of the mythological "gods."

Seems these space aliens had visited earth and been proclaimed deities by the Greeks/Romans. The ETs evidently said, "Hey? Who are we to argue? It's their planet." And they ruled for awhile from atop Mt. Olympus.

Later, they quit Olympus and left Earth for new digs. The reason? As Apollo mournfully explained, "The people ceased to believe." Read: Christianity freed the Mediterranean Basin from superstition.

At any rate, Apollo, the last of the laid off gods, is attracted to one of Kirk's officers in the landing party. Naturally, she is nothing short of stunning.

Apollo wants her to be his bride and goddess. She's flattered by the attention and is starting to succumb to his Greco-Roman charm.

Kirk slaps some sense into her (figuratively or literally, I can't recall), reminds her of her oath to Star Fleet, her duty to the ship, the price of tea in China, etc. Seems Apollo wants to beam all the crew of the Enterprise down to his planet so they can tend sheep and worship him.

Kirk persuades Landing Party Babe to help the regular cast overthrow Apollo.

Spock soon finds "A's" power source in some poor man's Parthenon -- a backdrop for Apollo's smoke-and-mirrors special effects. The Enterprise Brain Trust figure out that if Kirk, Scotty, Bones and Spock laugh at Apollo's pretensions to deity, it will provoke him into a fury and lead to a galactic coronary.

That is, if Kirk isn't first zapped to burnt bacon like a bug in a patio light.

Hence comes the showdown, and this exchange, which I paraphrase:

Apollo -- "You will kneel down and WORSHIP ME!!!"
Kirk -- "Sorry, but we find one God to be sufficient."

To my knowledge, this was the only specific reference to monotheistic religion during Star Trek's run, though there may have been others.

[Lunatic Fringe]

They didn't mention anything the pertaining to the holiday.

The fantasy son of Picard said "Merry Christmas, Papa."

Obviously Christmas is still celebrated in Gene Roddenbury's universe, but... this *IS* after all fiction set 300 years in the future.

[Lunatic Fringe]

What about Star Trek: The Final Frontier, where they went to visit "God"?

The movie seemed to portray that God was a belief held not only by the humans of Earth, but many species across the Galaxy.

[danmar]

"How would you inject Christian tradition into Star Trek?" I wouldn't necessarily 'inject' anything. I was commenting more on how I think it is absurd that over the course of STNG, STDS9, STV, and the current incarnation with all the multitudes of historical references, objects, traditions, and spirituality incorporated that it is as if Christianity never existed.

I allways wondered, why it is necessary to sometimes "inject" some sort of religious pillars of common wisdom in the movies;
it looks to me that it is done from the point of view of mass marketing, since the majority of movie watchers, are by and large catholics.

I am coming from a very strong and strict Christian family, and I do not like that Hollywood is parading this washed down religious undertone in it's movies.

I am from the belief that "RELIGION" is one's personal and private relation with the "MAN UPSTAIRS", and nobody elses business.

Althou religions teachings are noble and wise, I still believe that, it has no place in the public domain.
I might sound like an ACLU mignion, but, religion is a "EXTREMELY" volatile issue, therefore it is better to be left alone alltogheter.

[Texas_Jarhead]

I dunno if you missed it or what, but I was responding to another post which asked why religion should be injected into Star Trek.

You said, "since the majority of movie watchers, are by and large catholics"
This opinion is based upon what? Seems like a huge stretch to claim such a thing.

You also said, "Althou religions teachings are noble and wise, I still believe that, it has no place in the public domain. I might sound like an ACLU mignion, but, religion is a "EXTREMELY" volatile issue, therefore it is better to be left alone alltogheter."
You're right. Sounds like something an ACLU member would say. If you come from a Christian household then perhaps you remember a little song you might have learned as a child. It goes something like this, "This little light of mine I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine. Won't hide it under a bush, oh no, I'm gonna let it shine". Ever heard of the Great Commission?

FReegards

[chance33_98]

Interesting info! I remember Q and often wondered how much further he would develop. Did he ever show up in voyager by any chance?

[Lunatic Fringe]

Yes, Q was on Voyager at least once that I wateched, 2 or 3 times I believe.

[RightWhale]

Star Trek originally was as much legal situations as sci fi. Seems like every second episode centered on a legal proceeding.

[ItsJeff]

but never could include a thing about the Christian tradition.

You're absolutely right. I'm a tremendous Next Generation fan and always thought it was cool that many crewmembers hung onto their ancestral traditions (ala Scotty wearing kilts and playing the bagpipe, or Kayko and Miles having a traditional Japanese wedding ceremony.) But they never delved into Christianity. Even when they had the chance, in the second movie, Wrath of Khan, when Bones was having a fit about the awsome power of the "Genesis Project." He said, "According to myth, the earth was created in seven days." So much for Christianity.

[kAcknor]

until 7-of-9 showed up on Voyager.

kAcknor Sez:

Why do we watch Star Trek?
Moral Clarity?
Mythology?
Sense of certainty?
Utopian dreams of an impossible future?

Naw....

Willie, I think you mailed it.

"...the new (2nd season) Enterprise series has a Vulcan babe who's HOT!"

It's the one suggestion that at least half the population can agree on. ;)

"yIQeqQo' neH, DoS yIqIp!" (Don't just aim, hit the target!)

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