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The Politics of Star Trek
Claremont.org ^
| 08/25/2015
| Timothy Sandefur
Posted on 09/02/2015 5:26:11 AM PDT by DFG
Leonard Nimoys death in February brought to a close his unusual career continually playing a single role for half a century. Between 1966, when the television show Star Trek premiered, and 2013, when the movie Star Trek Into Darkness hit the screens, Nimoy portrayed the franchises beloved first officer, Mr. Spock, in two TV series and eight films.
As he acknowledged, the key to Star Treks longevity and cultural penetration was its seriousness of purpose, originally inspired by creator Gene Roddenberrys science fiction vision. Modeled on Gullivers Travels, the series was meant as an opportunity for social commentary, and it succeeded ingeniously, with episodes scripted by some of the eras finest science fiction writers. Yet the development of Star Treks moral and political tone over 50 years also traces the strange decline of American liberalism since the Kennedy era.
(Excerpt) Read more at claremont.org ...
TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: dcfontana; kirk; leonardnimoy; roddenberry; spock; startrek
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To: freepertoo
The Landru society, I think was STs version of Christianity. The body was the clue for me. I love TOS, but I think this one is glaringly obvious. Roddenberry was no Christian.It was obvious to me that they were a Satanist-like group. Devil and witch films were pretty popular in the 60s. And that is precisely how they dressed in the films, robes with hoods.
61
posted on
09/02/2015 7:13:14 AM PDT
by
ETL
(ALL (most?) of the Obama-commie connections at my FR Home page: http://www.freerepublic.com/~etl/)
To: freepertoo
After more thought, Landru looked more like Lenin, with the computer generated hologram standing in for Vlad's waxy corpse on public display. That makes the minions more like the KGB.
To: Mad Dawgg
"Dig 3 graves up there...I'll explain it to you later"
Don't recall that line from Star Trek. It sounds more like something from an old Clint Eastwood western.
"Get 3 coffins ready..."
___________________________________
___________________________________
"My mistake... Make that 4 coffins."
63
posted on
09/02/2015 7:25:23 AM PDT
by
ETL
(ALL (most?) of the Obama-commie connections at my FR Home page: http://www.freerepublic.com/~etl/)
To: DFG
Bah, humbug.
A 4,700-word dissertation on STOS with the only reference to Nazis being "Conscience of the King"?!
And nothing about Chicago mobs, when its biggest mobster currently holds America by the throat?!
64
posted on
09/02/2015 7:38:06 AM PDT
by
treetopsandroofs
(Had FDR been GOP, there would have been no World Wars, just "The Great War" and "Roosevelt's Wars".)
To: Buckeye McFrog
It was definitely one of Roddenberry’s themes. It is why “Genesis II” and the follow up movie “Planet Earth” didn’t become TV shows.
65
posted on
09/02/2015 7:42:42 AM PDT
by
tbw2
To: IYAS9YAS
Yes, I realize Roddenberry was involved in Star Trek till his death.
And it was not until he died that the writers were able to break free of his non-violence edict and save TNG.
To: KC_Lion; GraceG; SevenofNine; Norm Lenhart
I knew I was going to like DS9 after watching one of the very first episodes:
"Picard would never have hit me..." (wounded voice) -- Q
"I'm not Picard" -- Sisko
DS9 Episode: Q-less
67
posted on
09/02/2015 7:44:08 AM PDT
by
Kartographer
("We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.")
To: tbw2
I was always disappointed that the back-door pilot on Star Trek featuring Robert Lansing and Teri Garr did not get picked-up as a series. Looked like it would have been a fun show.
To: Kartographer
DS9 was the best because it was the closest to the Human condition, while TNG just ignored human nature at every turn.
69
posted on
09/02/2015 7:51:24 AM PDT
by
GraceG
(Protect the Border from Illegal Aliens, Don't Protect Illegal Alien Boarders...)
To: Buckeye McFrog
And it was not until he died that the writers were able to break free of his non-violence edict and save TNG.Sorry, I misunderstood. I thought you mean the TOS. I liked many aspects of TNG, but it was too often too liberal. There were many episodes I thought were very good, too.
70
posted on
09/02/2015 7:53:32 AM PDT
by
IYAS9YAS
(I got nothin'.)
To: IYAS9YAS; Buckeye McFrog
I actually skipped right over “TNG” in your first post.
71
posted on
09/02/2015 7:55:03 AM PDT
by
IYAS9YAS
(I got nothin'.)
To: GraceG; KC_Lion; SevenofNine; Norm Lenhart
DING...DING...DING WE have a winner!!!
Bashir: What I want to know is, out of all the stories you told me which ones were true and which ones weren't?
Garak: My dear doctor...they're all true.
Bashir: Even the lies?
Garak: Especially the lies.
72
posted on
09/02/2015 7:56:46 AM PDT
by
Kartographer
("We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.")
To: Kartographer; GraceG; SevenofNine; Norm Lenhart
Garak should have had his own show.
73
posted on
09/02/2015 7:58:05 AM PDT
by
KC_Lion
(This Millennial is for Cruz!)
To: Kartographer
It was proof that competition improves quality, in DS9’s case, Babylon 5.
74
posted on
09/02/2015 8:01:09 AM PDT
by
tbw2
To: ArtDodger
In the 60s, I remember an article about some NASA scientists invited to the stage to observe the bridge and give their thoughts.. They filled out a questionnaire and all the NASA guys agreed that in 200 years, Man would have space travel, phasers, warp speed, but not a one believed that we would have doors that open and close automatically!I'm thinking that has to be an urban legend. Automatic-opening doors were invented in the Fifties, and the first one was installed in 1960 - source. All the supermarkets in my hometown had them when I was a young kid (early 70s).
75
posted on
09/02/2015 8:06:00 AM PDT
by
IYAS9YAS
(I got nothin'.)
To: freepertoo
The Landru society, I think was STs version of Christianity. The body was the clue for me. I love TOS, but I think this one is glaringly obvious. Roddenberry was no Christian. That's a bit of an oversimplification. Return of the Archons had more of a "cult" vibe than a Christian one. Don't forget, vestiges of a Christian wedding ceremony are seen at the opening of Balance of Terror (in the ship's chapel) and Bread and Circuses closes with the realization that Christianity was spreading among the neo-Roman population.
As for Roddenberry, well, his personal behavior made it clear that he was uncomfortable sticking to the straight and narrow.
76
posted on
09/02/2015 8:11:21 AM PDT
by
Charles Martel
(Endeavor to persevere...)
To: DFG
Gene Roddenberry was a secular humanist and the original "Star Trek" was quite anti-theistic. "The Apple" is in part an attack on G-d and a celebration of the serpent (at least the chrstian "luciferian" version).
As a non-theist neither Kirk nor anyone else in the stories has a standard by which to judge anything whatsoever as right or wrong. All non-theistic "standards" are in the end purely arbitrary.
That the old Roddenberry humanism turned into the current new age paganism is no coincidence.
77
posted on
09/02/2015 8:16:51 AM PDT
by
Zionist Conspirator
(The "end of history" will be Worldwide Judaic Theocracy.)
To: ETL
78
posted on
09/02/2015 8:19:49 AM PDT
by
Mad Dawgg
(If you're going to deny my 1st Amendment rights then I must proceed to the 2nd one...)
To: TexasFreeper2009
That depends on how you define liberalism. To a old liberal (pre-1960) the liberals of today would be considered commie anarchists.
The "old liberals" went right along with all the changes in liberalism as they happened. Does anyone recall Hubert Humphrey objecting to abortion? Doesn't Jimmy Carter support "gay marriage?"
If FDR were still with us, he'd be wheeling his 133 year old carcass at the head of a pro-bestiality parade.
79
posted on
09/02/2015 8:25:31 AM PDT
by
Zionist Conspirator
(The "end of history" will be Worldwide Judaic Theocracy.)
To: IYAS9YAS
When they ditched the whole “peace and understanding” thing and started battling the Borg, I thought TNG got very good.
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