Where Have All the Kirks Gone?

Fri, 15 May 2009 02:07:16 +0000 – By Heather SmithRadio and Documentary Producer

Don't beam me up, Scotty. The Capt. James T. Kirk in the new "Star Trek" film is proof of how much ground men have lost in today's culture.

Before you tell me it is just a movie, recall the words of series creator Gene Roddenberry: "I have no belief that Star Trek depicts the actual future," Roddenberry said, "it depicts us, now..." And right now, the latest Star Trek depicts men as insecure, impulsive lechs who need women and aliens to keep them out of trouble.

Consider four attributes of the ideal man: self-control, bravery, confidence and sex appeal.

In the original series, Kirk has supreme self-control. He sacrifices himself for the safety of his crew and, in more than one episode, even chooses duty over true love. In the latest "Star Trek," Kirk is Peter Pan, an irresponsible, reckless man-boy. (Warning: plot spoilers ahead.) The new Kirk tears down an empty Iowa highway in a stolen hot rod and drives off a cliff, jumping out to save himself, not the car. He gets into bar fights to serve his vanity, not some higher cause like rescuing the crew from aliens.

While the original Kirk used reason, the new one mostly leaves that to Spock.

To read Ms. Smith's complete post on Big Hollywood.com, click here.