Nerds & Star Trek

The self-fulfilling prophecy

Published on March 26, 2004 By Draginol In Humor

I don't really like Star Trek. I mean, it's okay. But I don't go out of my way to watch it. Never have. But you wouldn't know that from walking into my house. I have an entire bookshelf full of Star Trek books (that I've never read) and tucked away are various Star Trek ornaments, toys, holograms, and other Star Trek junk.

So if I don't like Star Trek, how come I have all this Star Trek stuff? Simple: People give them to me as gifts.

Here's how it works - I'm a nerdy guy. I mean, my job is on computers. And during the late 80s and early 90s, only "nerds" used computers. You know what I mean probably. I would get questions like "So you're some sort of 'computer genius'?" Right.. Just like other people are Microwave oven geniuses or Driving a car geniuses. We know how to use appliances and other things.

Nerds, for various reasons, are assumed to like Star Trek. And therefore, at Christmas, unasked for, I would get some sort of Star Trek item. Maybe a book. Maybe a toy. Maybe a VHS tape. Maybe a sound track. And so I'd put this away and some guest would come over, spot the Star Trek book on the shelf and whisper to their spouse "Aha! I knew it! I knew he liked Star Trek. Being into computers and all! And Christmas is right around the corner!"

And so the process self-perpetuates. People see the Star Trek stuff, they put it together with my "computery ways" and viola, out pops out a Star Trek-related gift. Star Trek calendars. Star Trek trivia. Spock ears. You name it.

Which begs the question -- maybe Star Trek isn't as big a phenomenon as people thought. Maybe the whole Star Trek mania thing is manufactured by stereotypes to begin with. The ratings for Star Trek shows were never that great. The movies have never done great business. But people assume there's a huge following for all things Star Trek.

After all, look at all those nerdy guys with all the Star Trek stuff...

Comments

on Mar 26, 2004

I don't know about latter, but I AM a star trek fan, but I don't collect anything with star trek on it. I just collect Lego.

Can't you ebay the star trek stuff and convert them into a gift YOU want?

USSTiconderogaXO

on Mar 27, 2004

Hmmm....might be nice to have your problem. I've been a Star Trek fan my whole life, but my family tried to deny it - apparently, it was embarrassing to have a child with not much computer savvy into that geeky stuff.

I'm not really into collecting a lot of stuff - too much dusting, and it doesn't make sense to me to have a bunch of neat stuff stored in boxes, where it can't be seen and enjoyed.
If you're not attached to the stuff, take the last guy's advice and sell it on ebay and make some money. On the other hand, if you don't want to mess with selling it, you could send it all to me!

Vic

on Mar 27, 2004

After Babylon 5, the whole Star Trek franchise lost all its appeal for me.

Lunaticus Minimus

on Mar 27, 2004

Great, Brad..now I have Star Trekkin Across the Universe stuck in my head. Thanks.

Nakor

on Mar 27, 2004

Through the time period you mention, anything to do with space or computers was pretty much "one o' dem Nerd things".

And to a large extent, it was the only sci-fi pop culture that most people were aware of. It's not like someone would go out and buy The Vader Chronicles for a nerd like you, because there wasn't that mass-market of infrastructure and products for that in the 80's and early 90's (this has changed to a large extent with the success of various video game franchises, new books, and <gulp> the first two prequels). And that everyone who came of age in the 80's or 90's is more likely to be cognizant of the SW films.

These same people who got you all your ST books would likely never have read Asimov, Heinlein, or any of the other great (and not so great) sci-fi authors stretching back at least to Jules Verne. So it was much more convenient to grab something for the nerdling from the ST section at the bookstore, which had more than one row.

They got you a gift that was easy for them while attempting to be thoughtful. Irrespective of them not knowing you well enough to have gotten you something you really wanted.

BTW, if someone gives you the Borg cube of all the TNG seasons, you feel free to just bring that to the office for Cari and I to fight over.

Harly Durbin

on Mar 29, 2004

How funny. I bet I'd think that to.

JeremyG

on Mar 29, 2004

I'm not a big star trek fan over all. Some of the movies are pretty good though.

However I *AM* a big fan of "The Next Generation". After the first couple seasons that show was very well written. And patrick Stewart is just such an amazing actor that he can kind of make anything work.

I looked at buying the Borg Cube DVD set from ebay.....$1,400....thanks but no thanks.

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