Starlog: III. Data Entry Two. Two

I'm not sure which Star Trek captain we need most in today's society, only that the leader needs to show an intelligent and compassionate approach to the problems that he or she is faced with. In one of the episodes (“Dear Doctor”, Star Trek: Enterprise) that I watched, Captain Archer insists on giving Dr. Phlox enough time to find a cure, or at least a path toward a cure, for the fatal illness faced by the Valakians on their planet, which was being visited by Enterprise. Even though the doctor doesn't believe that he should interfere with the serious problems faced by the Valakians, he and the captain are able to reach a compromise while acknowledging conflicting views which need to be dealt with. This ability to understand the other person's viewpoint is sorely needed in today's world.

As for Discovery's take on not focusing on the captain in season 1, I came to observe that some episodes put more emphasis on the opinion of the captain than others. In the episode, “Into the Forest I Go”, the captain is present, and has a certain point of view about the mission central to the story, but his crew members have other approaches to the problems that they face. This occurs to some degree in most of the episodes that I have watched – think Captain Kirk and Spock in the original series, for instance. I think that, if anything, the different approaches to the centrality of the captain, shown in this lesson, and others, caused me to think more carefully about the interactions between him, or her, and the crew.

Starlog: II. Data Entry Three. Two

The episode I watched in an attempt to answer the question posed in this section of the course was That Which Survives from Season 3 of the original series. The character of Losira at first is depicted as part siren and part destroyer, killing at least one crewman, D'Amato, on the planet,. When she appears on the Enterprise, she knows about the functions of the ship, and is able to kill Watkins with the touch of her hand. It seems that she must touch the men she is sent to destroy, but when she touches Kirk, he survives. She says that she doesn't “want to destroy”, but she “is for Lieutenant Sulu” and “must touch him”. When she very briefly touches Sulu and Kirk gets in the way, Losira has, as the Captain explains, “the power to totally disrupt biological cell structure”. Later, she does try to touch Kirk (and likely to kill him), although she doesn't want to kill, and only 'touches' because she is “sent” and “must defend this place”. Near the end of the episode, Losira becomes three copies of herself, each one designated to touch Sulu, Kirk, or Dr. McCoy. Then she is is revealed as having been replicated to protect the planet where the occupants have been long dead, so her mission seems to have evolved to be more of a protector than a destroyer.

This episode caused me to rethink my stance on sexuality in that I became even more aware of how sexual attractiveness, especially in women, is used to hint at danger or seduction, or seems to do so. The way that the plot in this episode developed, and the changing depiction of Losira, showed that the device of 'woman as seductress' is not always as negative, or as uncomplicated, as it first appears.

Starlog: II. Data Entry Three. One

I would say that the most important phrases to learn in another language are those that relate to the individual who is being spoken to. While it is important to have a knowledge of the structure of a language and the meaning of a word or phrase or sentence, to form a relationship with the people who speak that language, it is necessary to be able to relate to the person to whom you are speaking. So simple phrases that show an interest in the person being spoken to, and therefore their culture, are important. After all, the first thing we do when meeting new people within our own culture is to ask their name, and then go on to discover their personal details and those of their family and the places where they live.

Attempting to learn the language of a new culture shows that we are interested in that culture and the individuals who are included therein. Each language has different nuances, and while new learners may not understand the intricacies of an unfamiliar language, through persistent attempts to understand both words and speakers, they can show that they are truly interested in both.

While I really like the Ferengi as alien characters in Star Trek, their use of 'universal translators' in the Deep Space Nine episode “Little Green Men” does just the opposite to what I would see as being useful in providing understanding between cultures, since all it seems to be used for is promoting and facilitating trade relationships.