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Get_A_Life
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1995-11-09
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5KB
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93 lines
TF01
3,Get A Life!
4,by Marcus Priddey
From what I can tell, or from what I have heard there are two groups
of Star Trek fans. There are those like myself who enjoy Star Trek
not only because it's a good show and good entertainment but also
because it represents something we (as a race) could quite possibly
acheive. But saying that we do recognise that it is only a television
programme with several movie spin offs and do not take it too
seriously.
Then there's the other group who take fandom a little too far, at
least in my opinion. These people are those that do not like (Star
Trek) films merely because they do not conform to Gene Roddenberry's
guidelines. They will admit that these films are good films in their
own right, but they will absolutely refuse to enjoy them, perhaps
because they make Starfleet out to be a military organisation
(although it is quasi-military).
Medals, in Star Trek VI for example. For some unknown reason these
fans do not like medals. Why not? If I had done something brave, or
spent countless years in service I'd want something to show for it
whether it be a Victoria Cross, Congressional Medal of Honour or
whatever. Nicholas Meyer seems to be slated precisely because he made
his Star Trek films with a militaristic feel (Star Trek II was
apparently a submarine movie set in space). So what? If it's good,
and it fills theatres both the audiences and Paramount executives are
going to be happy and sequels will be made - surely what we all want.
It seems that anyone who clashes with Gene Roddenberry and presents a
different perspective of his idea is going to get lynched. It's as
though people are treating Gene as some sort of godlike creature.
Well, he wasn't. He's human, just like the rest of us and people are
going to disagree with him as they're only human too. People are
going to disagree with this article, but that's okay because they're
human as well and they have their own opinions too.
These fans will also buy any Trek related piece of merchandise no
matter how useless, flimsy or exuberantly over-priced (Franklin Mint/
Hallmark items for example).
Now, don't get me wrong - if you want to spend £200 on Leonard
Nimoy's earpieces at a charity auction, then fine, the charity
benefits which I find most laudable. But if you spend your hard
earned money on say Franklin Mint's chess set (awfully sorry to pick
on you FM, but you do spring to mind very easily), which is very nice
to look at. But that's all you can do as the playing surface will be
scratched by the pieces themselves. Now, when I buy a chess set I'd
expect to play some chess with it, otherwise I'd take straight back
and get a refund.
Another example, I heard quite recently is this - you've all heard of
the Star Trek card game, I'm sure. I was told however, about this one
person who is unemployed, but paid £60 for a Picard card, a very rare
card. Let's just examine that for a moment. These cards are no more
that three inches by two and they have a picture and some writing on
the front and Starfleet's symbol on the back. Very nicely done indeed
with a probable total production cost of about a penny. Now you
either get these cards in a starter pack for about £7.00 or booster
packs for £2.00. So someone, somewhere along the line has paid no
more that £7.00 for this Picard card (Pi'card even) and yet has sold
it for £60.00. This is not only pure greed on behalf of the seller
but also stupidity on the buyers side. I myself, collect the card
game but I am unlikely to get any of the rarer cards because I will
not pay the asking prices for those cards. I will gladly swap my
spare cards for the equal amount in return but a refuse to pay any
more than what the other person paid. "But it's Picard!" these "fans"
might say. Yeah? So? It could be Anna Nicole Smith sans clothes
smothered in chocolate ice cream for all I care. An eye for an eye,
tooth for a tooth and card for a card.
To these people I wholeheartedly agree with William Shatner when he
said that controversial statement "Get a life!". Star Trek is ONLY
fiction. It's not real. To Shatner it's just a job, a way of paying
the bills - you don't get fans of bankers or insurance clerks, so why
are actors any different?
Enjoy your life. It's too precious to waste on mere entertainment no
matter how good it might be. In fact, stop reading this, turn off
your computer and look out of the window and REALLY look, and then
come back and think about what you saw. Was it raining? Nature's
worked really hard to bring that rain from the oceans, lakes and
rivers. Was the sun shining? How many hues and shades could you see
in nature's artistry. What was your spouse/partner doing? When was
the last time you told them you loved them and REALLY meant it? Not
got a partner? Then go and find someone!
Of course, some people will say "Twaddle!" to what I've just written,
but to those people I say, "I've got a hair lock from Jonathan Frakes
I'm selling for £500.00!!!"