Star Trek does indeed make comments on its time period, and this is what separates it from other science fiction programs of its time period. Perhaps this is one reason for the series's immense popularity, for the social issues dealt with in Star Trek are also social issues of our day if to a different degree. The feminist movement is firmly established and has made much progress in the area of women's rights. Equal pay for equal work is now the law in Washington state, on-demand abortion is now legal thanks to Roe v. Wade in 1973, and women are breaking out of traditional sex roles and stereotypes in practically all aspects of life. Race relations have improved greately, although problems still exist. School integration spurred on by bussing has integrated the public schools and helped to mold a new generation with the ideas of racial equality firmly embedded in their beliefs. Still, hate groups exist despite social and legal pressure to stamp them out. Tensions have eased somewhat among the superpowers, but possibility of conflict in the third world still exists. Star Trek reminds us that these social issues are timeless for our society, and if our society is to progress to the day when we can peacefully explore and colonize space, these issues must be finally and absolutely resolved.
Works Cited
Asherman, Allan. The Star Trek Compendium. New York: Pocket
Books, 1986. Cited as Compendium. (All airdates from
the episodes were taken from this book.)
Asherman, Allan. The Star Trek Interview Book. New York: Pocket
Books, 1988. Cited as Interview.
Blair, Karen. "Sex and Star Trek." Science Fiction
Studies, 10 (1983), 292-297.
Editor, "Talk of the Town." The New Yorker, 64 (12 December
1988), 37-38.
Greenberg, Harvey R. "In Search of Spock: A Psychoanalytic
Inquiry." Journal of Popular Film and Television, 12
(1984), 52-65.
Gerrold, David. The World of Star Trek. New York: Bluejay
Books, 1984.
Nimoy, Leonard. Star Trek Memories (1983).
Stine, G. Harry. State of the Art: Star Trek Revisited. 108
(November 1988), 158-166.
Tyrell, William Blake. "Star Trek as Myth and Television as
Mythmaker." Journal of Popular Culture, 10 (Spring 1977),
711-719.
Wortland, Rick. "Captain Kirk: Cold Warrior." Journal of Popular
Film and Television, 16 (Fall 1988), 109-117.
J. William Snyder, Jr. ()
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