Starlog: II. Data Entry Two. One

My opinion is that most Star Trek episodes at least hint at social conflicts, whether they address conflicts between races or delve into the issue of women working in jobs that might be seen as being for men only. I live in Canada, but these conflicts are also present in my country, maybe at a lesser degree than at the time that the earlier Star Trek series were broadcast. The two episodes that I watched to consider for my reply to the questionasked for this data entry were Charlie X (Original series, Season 1, episode 2) and Let That Be Your Last Battlefield (Original Series, Season 3, episode 15). 

 

I was trying to observe not so much the main theme of the episode, but how women were portrayed as part of the crew. In the Charlie X episode besides Lieutenant Uhuru, who plays a fairly prominent role throughout the first three seasons, the character of Yeoman Janice Rand has an important part in the plot. In Let That Be Your Last Battlefield, Nurse Chapel is featured. Women are seen along with men in the corridors and other areas of the ship, going about their duties. While this may not seem to be an important as the focus of the episodes, it suggests an environment where women are accepted as part of the crew who contribute to the operation of the ship.

Donald Judd at Christie's

Once upon a time (back sometime in 2006), I did a blog entry about a Donald Judd exhibit at Christie's. I recently received a comment on that post and discovered that most, maybe all, of the links weren't relevant any longer. While editing the original entry, I seem to have deleted both the post and my update.

So I'm trying again. Christie's now has a page listing all the works it has auctioned by Judd. To find these works, just enter Donald Judd in the search box in the upper right hand corner. For some reason, the first page shown will not likely show any results for this artist. So, just click on the Sold Lots link and you will see images of many works by Judd. What I really like is that once I clicked on any of the images, I could then enlarge them and examine the work more closely.

Warning: There are not really more than 700 works by Judd. The search results get a bit confused after a few pages, but this can lead you to examine works by many other artists, which is part of the fun.

I also found the Judd Foundation webpage, which has a greater range of works by the artist. There are also lots of links to explore, some about Judd and some not.

So now I'm a Lieutenant Commander

And this is my latest insignia.

Starlog: Data Entry Six.Two

At around 2:54 in the video “Exploring Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations” for 6.2, Scott Mantz says “You know, I'd like to think we're getting closer and closer to having IDIC here on Earth.” While it may sometimes seem as if his is a very optimistic view, given what seems like an increase in disrespect for others who don't look like us (whoever 'us' may be), there also seems to be a more positive approach to acceptance of the 'other'. This acceptance may not be as well publicized as the more negative view, but I see it in the support for refugees and immigrants in my small rural community. As people come to Canada and make their home here, as my ancestors did 230+ years ago, they will become part of the texture of the country. It may not be an easy process, and it is difficult to say what exactly it will look like. I would guess, and hope, that the difference might be that in the process we learn from each other and come to see that, in our 'Infinite Combinations', we are are all quite similar.

Starlog: Data Entry Six.One

Television, like movies earlier, and the internet later, reflects and influences how we are seen and how we see ourselves. All three venues exist in the present, and are somewhat intertwined in influencing how we see ourselves,and others. As for whether or not it is important to see myself on television, I would have to say that since I am old - a term I prefer to 'senior citizen', I am sensitive to how women who are older are portrayed in any media. I don't need to see 'myself' as much as I would like to see a variety of portrayals of older women, so that they do not fit just one stereotype for my age group.

Television is an interesting, and perhaps important, subject for scholarly study because it can reflect the opinions and reactions of the watchers. Unfortunately, it can also magnify or diminish those factors as well. I may watch a TV show and agree with most of what is presented. I could also think that it is mostly offensive or badly scripted. I'm not sure that what we watch shapes the world we live in, but it can reinforce certain beliefs that we hold. Depending on the show, it can also cause viewers to reconsider those beliefs. Scholarly study can trace trends in presentation and content of all types of shows – comedies, dramas, and documentaries, and more. Hopefully, those studies can be communicated to viewers so that they can be more aware of how their views and beliefs can be manipulated.