Star Trek...who knew?

I am sure that most of you have heard of a TV show called "Star Trek," right? I have, but I never understood what made it so appealing to some people, or why it had any sort of significance at all. That changed when I read an article by Dwayne Day. Mr. Day explained how Star Trek was one of the most culturally influential TV shows of all time. This show was comprised of a multi-racial cast, which sent the message that people of different cultures could work together to maintain a peaceful world.

Apparently, the purpose of the show was to use futuristic situations as analogies for the current problems occurring on Earth. It discussed moral and social issues such as slavery, warfare, and discrimination. "Star Trek presented a positive image of the future at a time when the news was filled with stories of racism, social strife, and war."(-Dwayne Day) Many people, during the 1960's, were fearful that America would not emerge from the Cold War. The idea that people of different races, specifically American and Russian crewmen, could work peacefully together in the future communicated a very important message to the American people: "humanity will be okay."

In addition to all the concepts of the show, Star Trek also effected future science fiction shows, because they would all have to live up to the standards already set by this show, in order to be respected. Star Trek also influenced the start of a fan group known as the "Trekkies," which grew into an entire "folk subculture." The world even went so far as to add Star Trek phrases to well known dictionaries. Clearly, the TV of Star Trek had much more influence on society and culture than I had ever imagined.

In the clip of an episode that I watched, the main issue being addressed was the idea of slavery. During the 1960's, America was still fighting the battle of Civil Rights. Slavery had officially "ended" nearly a century earlier, but African Americans were still not treated with the equality and respect that they deserved. In the episode clip, a citizen of another planet was attempting to seek asylum aboard the Enterprise. He had evidently been involved in some revolution attempts on his planet, as a group tried to free themselves from the slavery and oppression that they had been put under for so long. The man that was sent to retrieve this escapee declared that he was no longer a slave on that planet; that slavery had been abolished years ago. However, the escapee was still treated as a slave.

That is the situation that existed in America as well. Though African Americans were not technically "slaves," they were still oppressed and treated as though they were inferior to white Americans. The purpose of this episode of Star Trek was to show that any form of slavery, whether physical or mental, was not accepted, and should not be tolerated.This show attempted to get America to wake up and make a change.

African Americans and women throughout the nation were encouraged by the fact that those like them had been portrayed in equality with white men. It gave courage and hope to those who had been afraid or hesitant to try and pursue their dreams. Star Trek was a historical landmark that greatly affected American culture.

      "Star Trek has clearly influenced many diverse aspects of human behavior." - Dwayne Day