Memoirs of a Starchild
is all perfectly natural. I don't look at the extended family with whom I spend so much time as Japanese. They are just my family. But this is not a situation that I was destined for. I'll give you one example of why.
Nowadays I am ashamed to admit it, but there was a time in my youth when I was less than tolerant of those who were not American. I don't mean that I was ever rude to anyone, but I had thoughts in my head. I would be in the grocery store and people would be speaking another language. I would think to myself that if those people were going to live in America, they'd damn well better learn English. I hated listening to the sounds they were making. I guess I thought everyone should speak my language.
So you might find it a bit of a shock that when I walked down the aisle at my university's commencement, the degree that was placed in my hand was a Bachelor of Arts in Russian Language and Literature. And it might be even more surprising that much of the time in my daily life these days the language that I speak isn't English or even Russian; it’s Japanese. So what happened along the way that transformed that young, intolerant boy in the supermarket into the man who sits in an office halfway around the world?
In retrospect I see that it was in large part due to the influence of Star Trek. Many people look at that show and just think it's a bunch of silliness for children. It's unfortunate for them that they miss the rich tapestry of life, love, and social commentary that surrounds those aliens and spaceships. In this age of deteriorating society, Star Trek, perhaps more than any other piece of pop culture, delivers an important message that has the power to make the world a better place.
Is Star Trek always right? Does it always send the best message? Of course not. But in addition to teaching you how to work together and respect those who are different from you, it also teaches you how to make judgements for yourself. Then it’s up to you to decide what’s right and what’s wrong. How many other shows teach analytical thinking these days? I'm glad that it was a part of my childhood, and if there's one TV show that I will make a part of my baby's life as he grows up, this is the one it'll be. Sometimes the best teachers show up where you least
Latest Articles