Janzen, Bernd Hubert (Author)
_Star Trek_ has been part of American culture for over 35 years now and has influenced American self-understanding. This study examines how this American-ness is shown in _Star Trek_ as a concept that is inherent in Roddenberry's humanistic vision. It has three major parts. The first part shows _Star Trek_ in the context of American science fiction with special regard to apocalyptic ideas that are included. These apocalyptic ideas are important for American self-understanding. On the one hand, they resonate with ideals of American Civil Religion and on the other hand, they play a major role in early American literature, namely with Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. The second part analyzes the role of science. _Star Trek_ as a humanistic vision contrasts the scientifically oriented considerations of British physicist J. D. Bernal. He predicts the upcoming of a dimorph; the species splits up. The new human being will go out to the stars, whereas the old one will stay on earth waiting for his doom. Arthur C. Clarke has a similar vision with his Starchild. _Star Trek_ is in the tradition of American science fiction (SF) of the Golden Age, exemplified in author Robert A. Heinlein. For Heinlein, American ideals that protect the integrity of the individual and the uniqueness of humanity must be preserved. This limits the role of science, since the human being must not be altered. _ Star Trek_ shows that we, as we are, will be able to go to the stars and join the ranks of other species to form a vast civilization spanning several planetary systems. The third part shows _Star Trek_ as an American myth. Being a TV series, _Star Trek_ is present in the everyday life of millions of viewers and provides a narrative network of episodes that conveys a positive vision of the future and gives hope to its viewers in America and all over the world. _Star Trek_ demonstrates that the American Dream will be important in the future and serve as a beacon for human civilization.
...MoreDescription Cited in Diss. Abstr. Int. A 67/07 (2007): 2578. UMI pub. no. 3226549.
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