Learning from Star Trek

Today we turn to Star Trek, I originally posted this on the ooze, but I decided I wanted to share it here also.

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Those who avoid Star Trek like the plague have probably, on the whole, saved themselves from a lot of wasted time. There is one episode from TNG (Next Generation) which is a beautiful parable about faith and evangelism and communication and meaning and and and and ... I still weep with joy at the ending (yes, I am that pathetic).

I am going to summarize the episode, but if you have access to the full season DVD sets, you'll be far better served by going straight to the source. The episode is in season five, and is titled Darmok

The Enterprise is zooming across the galaxy answering a request for a meeting with a ship from a race known as the "Tamarians" or "Children of Tamar". This race has encountered the Federation a few times in the past, and each time communication has been impossible.

As the Enterprise orbits the planet El-Adrel, the Tamarian ship hails the Enterprise and we see, on the main view screen of the Enterprise, a bridge of the alien ship, full of aliens with things glued to their foreheads.

The Tamarian captain begins speaking in a very friendly, slow paced voice: "Rai of Lowani. Lowani under two moons. Jiri of Ubaya. Ubaya of crossed roads. At Lungha. Lungha, her sky gray."

Captain Picard gives befuddled look to Troi, his ship's counselor, and he replies in English, slowly as if speaking to someone who doesn't understand English very well, "Captain, I invite you to consider the creation of a mutual non-aggression pact between our two peoples. Possibly leading to a trade agreement and cultural interchange. Does this sound like a reasonable course of action?"

Now it is the aliens turn to look confused and puzzled. After some more incomprehensible dialog on the alien ship, the Tamarians beam Picard and the Tamarian captain (Daithon) down to the planet's surface, and turn on the plot-device which prevents the Enterprise from using their shuttlecraft or transporter to get Picard back.

On the Enterprise, a frantic series of attempts to reconfigure and re-route things fails to get Picard back, meanwhile Data and Troi analyze the log of the Tamarian's conversation and discover that the Tamarian's communication is a series of references to legends and myths, with each reference carrying a meaning. For example "Juliet on her balcony" might be an image of love and yearning. They are also frustrated because they realize that since there is no shared history or mythology, there is no way to know what the Tamarians are saying.

The Tamarians plan all along has been to create a shared story, by beaming Picard and the Daithon down to a dangerous planet, they hope that as they overcome the obstacles there, that a bridge will be built.

After a lot of difficulties (including the death of the Tamarian captian), Picard finally gets it, and in the final scene, he beams back on the the Enterprise and speaks to the Tamarians in their own language, much to the amazement and joy of the Tamarians. "Picard and Daithon, at El-Adrel"

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Here's what I like

It makes me laugh to watch Picard's first attempt at communication and see the puzzled looks on the Tamarians faces. This is so like what happens when we tell people that because God is good, they are doomed to burn in flames forever.

I cringe with pain as Data and Troi use computers to analyze the Tamarian speech. So sure of their ability to analyze, they completely miss the point as they pick at the structure and form of language without ever coming near the meaning.

It is pleasing to think of communication being as connection of narratives, each one bringing a new richness to the dialog that extends way beyond the words used to communicate.

I love that Picard had to leave the Enterprise with all the technological toys, become powerless, and enter into a shared experience with the Tamarian in order to learn to communicate.

Finally, in the last scene Picard stands in the window of his ready room, holding the knife given to him by the Tamarians, he touches the knife and then his forhead in a gesture he saw the Tamarians do when they learned their captain had died. It seems so clear and beautiful that if you live this way, you will be changed by those you communicate with.

Comments

[Dave Maddalena]

I have often said I miss the times at my church (Vineyard in Palo Alto) when almost every Sunday someone would make a reference to Star Trek while standing around the donut table after the sermon. Michael was probably one of a group (David Jones, now in England, was my primary source of Star Trek references) that would usually end up proof texting from a Star Trek script to make a theological point. Fun.

This story is great! It reminds me that pop culture is full of insight. I know, because I know Michael, that he has a beautiful respect for the truth that lives in people, and he expects that when people tell honest stories, they reveal truth. There is a nice kind of layered beauty to the way Michael patiently "listens" for meaning in one of our culture's 'repositories of story' (tv show) and finds meaning in an episode where the hero has to patiently listen for meaning in references to that culture's stories. I'll be over to watch the dvd someday soon.

[Robin Green]

A weblog without links is like The Darmok Dictionary without audio.
Sokath, his eyes uncovered.

[Jim Kirk]

What a fucking douchebag! Everybody knows that the original Star Trek is far more existential than the shitty Next Generation. You are definitely a dork, and I say that with the utmost disrespect. You are not quite up to the level of nerd, because a nerd has the taste and culture to know that a captain that bangs a hot chick every episode is better than some bald french fop.

[Michael Toy]

Thank you so much for your comment. You have made a wonderful contribution. The world is definitely a better place now that you have said that. If we all acted like you, we would be living in a perfect world.

[Kyle Janison]

There's a great new astrobiology blog, run by newspaper editor Rob Bignell, at http://alienlifeblog.blogspot.com/. It includes roundups of the latest news from the various scientific fields that form astrobiology, but more interestingly includes a daily analysis of how a different “Star Trek” alien might have evolved. So far, he’s looked at the salt vampire, Klingons, Gorns, Talosians, Species 8472, Thasians, Balok, the Guardian of Forever, the Old Ones, the Caretaker and the Alfa 117 canine, just to name a few.

[Whitewave]

[sigh]

This makes me miss Star Trek somethin' fierce. Thank you for this nostalgic jaunt.

There is alot of great stuff in the Star Trek catalogue that we'll be able to look back on and help us understand or explain stuff that we deal with. The original series was the modern one that was all about progress towards a universalizing truth. TNG was more postmodern and learning to accept and benefit from the different ways of understanding things. I don't think Roddenberry ever really broke his addiction to modernity, but he definitely tempered it. This is a very helpful bridge for many people.

Personally, I am really grateful to Mr. Kirk for inspiring me to learn how to spell "douche bag". It is two words, btw. Not hyphenated. Now we are all the richer.

[kate]

I have to ditto Whitewave's sentiment. I love that episode. I love that series.
I've been thinking a lot lately about the one where Picard is captured and tortured by Cardassians. About how that speaks to me. How the truth is there. It's there. Sometimes I don't feel God's truth around me, when I'm surrounded by those who would say there are five lights, but THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS, and if I can only cling to that, and remember who I am and where I come from, all will be well.
Interesting how the most compelling and deeply meaningful episodes seem to revolve around Picard.

[ZJ]

This is one of the best Star Trek episodes I've seen and is one of very few which were even better the second time.

[Frank]

I love the old Trek series, I hope J.J's film can live up to the glory of the old Trek series. For a laugh check out this spoof of the series posted on Steven Spielberg's new reality T.V. show "the lot":
http://films.thelot.com/films/21427

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