Part of chapter 14 of the series Myths and Dragons

The first interracial kiss on television occurred in November of 1968 between Lieutenant Uhura and Captain James T. Kirk. In the episode,“Plato’s Stepchildren”, the Enterprise crew make contact with an ageless people that have organized their society on ancient Greek ideals.

Gene Roddenberry was determined to have the kiss in the episode despite the fears of the NBC executives. What the television executives didn’t know was that the public was ready and curious and prepared to go into that unknown. The feedback and fan mail generated by the kiss proved it.

Television was a great medium for science fiction. Each week the Enterprise crew had a meaningful adventure into some part of the unknown. But Star Trek did more than just entertain the audience. It offered a complete and inspiring attitude for how we could reach a future worth striving for. And that is the greatest gift a myth could give to a culture.

Kirk’s attitude towards women is legendary. But when the research is collected, Kirk’s reputation should not be about conquering women. He wasn’t a notch-collector.  In fact, enough women initiated relationships themselves with Kirk to dispel that theory. He was looking to have some fun adventures and take some risks, but it was never a contest of numbers. It was about romance, curiosity, and when a situation gets tight, completing his mission.

Some followers of Star Trek believe Kirk’s true love can be found somewhere between his ship and his first mate, and even Roddenberry himself made some open-minded comments about the chemistry between Kirk and Spock. But as far as television goes, they haven’t boldly gone there. Maybe Star Trek doesn’t have the future all figured out. (Much like us now – we don’t have human sexuality or alien sexuality all figured out,  and we shouldn’t be making too many bold claims about anyone or anything.)

Whatever you might think of Spock and Kirk, one thing they did share was a committed love of exploring the unknown as a team. And in all the different incarnations of Star Trek, that has been the one thing that defined the relationships between the characters the most. Each crew, as a team, was excited to face and explore the unknown, prepared and ready to learn from it. They weren’t satisfied with whatever they already knew or assumed to be true.

Starfleet, in the Star Trek world, has an intriguing mandate – scientific exploration, diplomatic relations, military protection and civil peace-keeping. It is structured on a command hierarchy but social co-operativity. Orders might be top-down but ideas are discussed horizontally and initiative comes from every individual. Google and today’s tech businesses would be envious of the teamwork and commitment this inspires in its members. Even if it’s just a fictional organization, and therefore “not real”, it gives us a glimpse into what might be possible, and how we can work towards it.

I often wondered how all of it was possible. How can they make all the problems of the world simply disappear? Part of the answer seemed to come from technology. Another part came from attitude and policy. In Star Trek, our planet was always portrayed as a place that had shrugged off the violent and brutal past. National borders were abandoned and people were all considered citizens of Earth. A weather modification net was in place to avert or manage most natural tragedies. Institutional religious strife was a rarity . Universal Healthcare and Medical research solved almost all physical problems or impairments. Almost everyone was well-adjusted, accepted for who they were, competent, and given the education or tools or practice to become self-fulfilled individuals.

Come on! Human beings don’t work that way, do they? Could they? Where’s the usual human ignorance?

One of my favourite part-time characters from The Next Generation was Lieutenant Reginald Barclay – a socially uncomfortable introvert with a stutter, a hypochondriac dealing with transporter phobia, and a lonely guy suffering from holodeck addiction (something we might have to address in our near future). Barclay had a long career with Starfleet, but he always had personality issues, social issues, addiction issues. I swear, if the episode’s plot needed a guy with issues, the writers called in Barclay.

Barclay wasn’t all that good at dealing with his issues. He wanted to ignore his problems mostly, or create a fantasy world in the holodeck where he could ‘play’ the hero, rather than make real relationships with the people around him. But with the help of his superior officers, and the guidance of friends and therapists, Barclay faced and came to terms with his problems. He never seemed to fully conquer them, but he learned how to live with them while still contributing to the work and lives of those around him. He even got a chance at a romantic adventure or two. Maybe even Kirk would be proud…

I guess that might be the final lesson of Star Trek for me. The future isn’t going to be perfect. And people won’t be either. To think so is ignorant and unfair to anyone that will have to live there.

People will still struggle with themselves and with others. They will find or make threats and conflicts. There will be problems of iniquity and under-representation. But the right attitude does not try to stop problems from coming up ever again. That is a denial of the very nature of existence. Instead, the right attitude prepares the individual to be strong enough and wise enough to face the challenges existence has to offer. This is possible when you have the support of a good team with you, a commitment to shared exploration, and a healthy curiosity for the adventure you can have together.

And so, even if that world isn’t real, it has to be asked: isn’t it worth striving for?

What do you think?

Do you have a favourite Star Trek character or episode?