Hmmm, is resistance futile or a moral imperative?
I have never been what would be described as a trekkie – the nickname for diehard fans of the Star Trek television series. But I did occasionally tune into some of the later iterations of the series such as Deep Space Nine.
What I found compelling about the series was the alien races that were created as antagonists for the United Federation of Planets. Looking back now, I can see that many of these alien races were a form of social commentary – metaphors for personality types in our society.
KLINGONS
The Klingons, including the iconic Worf who served with the Federation, were a warrior race – swarthy humanoids characterized by prideful ruthlessness and brutality. A complete language was developed for the Klingons which became somewhat of a cult.
Have you come across a Klingon in the course of your life? Someone who sees every interaction as a battle to be won or lost. Frustrating people to deal with, but they do serve a purpose – teaching us the importance of standing up to bullies.
FERENGI
The Ferengi were a form of comic relief in Star Trek. But they also satirize a very real character type. Ferengis cared only about profit. They had 285 Rules of Acquisition that guided all their choices in life.
We all have a few Ferengi in our lives. They remind us how easy it is to slide into the worship of material things instead of the intangibles that are most important.
VULCANS
Whether you are a trekkie or not, you have most likely heard of Mr. Spock who is the poster child for the Vulcan race. Vulcans are known for striving to live by logic and reason with as little interference from emotion as possible.
Is there a Spock in your life? I am willing to be that there is. He or she can be irritating to deal with, but very useful to have around when events start to spiral out of control.
THE BORG
Ah yes, The Borg – perhaps the most distinctive alien race and the most cutting social commentary. The Borg were a race without individuality where every member is part of a collective consciousness to achieve perfection. They travel the galaxy in cube-shaped spaceships forcefully assimilating other species.
The Borg are mindless drones that slavishly serve the collective for the greater good. Never questioning authority. Never thinking for themselves. Never going their own way.
Be a Vulcan, or a Ferengi, or even a Klingon if you must. But please, do not be a Borg. Society is not well served by those who do not exercise their own intelligence.
We are the Borg. Resistance is futile. Or is it?
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~ Michael Robert Dyet is also the author of Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel which was a double winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards 2009. Visit Michael’s website at www.mdyetmetaphor.com .
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Tags: Ferengi · Klingons · metaphor · Michael Robert Dyet · Spock · Star Trek · The Borg · VulcansNo Comments