Star Trek Influence

The Influential Show of the 1960s “Beam me up, Scotty”, is a famous catchphrase brought by the T.V. show, Star Trek. In the 1960s, the start of the show, there were major problems of racism. The fight against racism was there, but was not enough. Star Trek was a form of protest against racism, along with many others. It was shown through a leader, and throughout the course of its seventy nine episodes.

Being a leader requires the trust and respect from followers. James T. Kirk, captain of the USS Enterprise, was able to hold the trust and respect from his ship crew by being honest and “knowing when to let a branch of the company go,” (Schutte, 2013). In addition, “Kirk’s closest two advisors… a Vulcan … and a human… [were] frequently at odds

Kirk in the 1966 T.V. show, Star Trek. The show itself fought against racism, though more support is always needed. According to author David Gerrold, “The ship had to be interracial because it represented it represented all mankind. How can the human race ever hope to achieve friendship with alien races if it can’t even be friends with itself” (152). He has also wrote, “[t]he stories are about twenti[first] century man’s attitudes in a future universe. The stories are about us,” (155). The show can influence us to act a certain way. Researchers at Ohio State University “examined what happened to people who, while reading a fictional story, found themselves feeling the emotions, thoughts, beliefs and internal responses of … the characters as if they were their own - a phenomenon the researchers call experience-taking”(Libby, 2012). People nowadays are more into performance entertainment than reading. Therefore, resulting more of a connection between a viewer and show than a book would. Star Trek has always been more than just a show. It fights against problems of the human race today. However, “because of the population in the South that watched the show … elements of racism … still appear in the series,” (Snyder, 1995). Meaning that a show, by itself can not properly go against the issue of racism without support. In the episode “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield”(air date 1/10/69) two half-white half-black being bring “their senseless racial struggle to the [USS] Enterprise”(Snyder, 1995). One of the beings is black on the right side, and to this species this color arrangement is considered inferior. The other being, Bele, is not black on the right side, but on the left, giving her and her people a superior title. Bele wants to take Lokai, the other being, to their home to stand trial for invalid political crimes. Star Trek was made for more than entertainment, it was also created for social issues of the 1960s