Star Trek Analysis and Presentation

 https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1S58J8VpjjxdDbuGvbMgo9VmojcetZcKmAXgdmLi00tM/edit?usp=sharing 

Presentation script

 

When analyzing Star Trek and its importance and influence I first found it crucial to examine the franchise, as a whole. With the initial release of Star Trek: The Original Series on NBC in  September 1966, the franchise has continued with around 13 movies, 7 spin-off series, and 3 animated series. Marketed by Paramount, the franchise has made billions following the marketing of countless toys, clothes, games, etc. advertising the current as well as the original shows and films. 

 

When looking at the Creator of Star Trek… 

Gene Roddenberry, the creator of the original series, was a former World War II bomber pilot, airline pilot, police officer, and television writer who focused heavily on an idealized better future and centered the original series around a meritocracy where individuals were judged for their abilities and skills rather than their appearance or social status. 

 

In addition to this, his use of the “wagon train to the stars” template created exciting episodes with new locations, species, and civilizations for audiences to discover and explore.

 

This model allowed Roddenberry to depict serious social issues within our world like discrimination, warfare, and racism disguised behind a classic space adventure.

 

This focus on social issues within Star Trek inspired Roddenberry to create a multicultural cast in hopes of displaying a variety of genders, ethnicities, and races in a positive, well-respected light.

 

This can specifically be established when examining one barrier-breaking scene in the third season of the original series that featured Captain Kirk kissing his communications officer, Lieutenant Uhura. This televised visual display of an interracial kiss emphasized a positive portrayal of future relations underlining the idea of acceptance in a primarily prejudice world.

 

In addition to this, during a time during or following conflict, the representation of minorities displayed in roles that did not coincide with societal norms posed a huge calling for change by viewers across the country. Specifically, the display of a Russian, Japanese, and African American female character within the show gave each individual a voice and identity they had not been given before.  

 

I found that by connecting Captain Picard’s quote “Things are only impossible until they’re not” with the work done by activists around the world, one can establish the importance placed on putting the idea of “being human” back into humanity, as a whole. 

 

Additionally, I found that during my research on Star Trek and some of its characters, I discovered its connection to Civil Rights activist, Martin Luther King Jr. 

 

During Nichelle Nichols time on the show in the 60s, she contemplated leaving and pursuing other opportunities. She was talked out of this decision, however, by Martin Luther King Jr., who told her that her representation as an African American Female in a position of importance on the show acted as a symbol of hope for the future and helped bring African Americans one step closer to racial equality and justice.

 

In addition to the social influence Star Trek had on society, it also played a key role in historic moments throughout time…

 

For example, in 1976 thousands of “Trekkies” banded together and wrote impassioned letters to NASA in hopes of naming one of their space shuttles after the Enterprise rather than their original choice Constitution. After much deliberation, space officials were convinced by the letter campaign and officially named the first space shuttle orbiter the Enterprise. Though it never ended up being launched into space it has been used in many flight tests and remains a very historic moment for Trekkies everywhere.

 

Finally, Star Trek has played a major role in influencing technology and how it has progressed into what we see today…

 

In addition to the handheld devices mentioned earlier within the presentation, in 2006 the chief technologist of Google Earth, Michael Jones, cited Star Trek and their “tricorder” as some of his inspiration for the development of mapping technology used within the Google Earth program. 

 

This along with the mobile phone, Palm PDA handheld, and some diatom nanotechnology reaffirms just how influential and inspiring Star Trek remains today.