Negativity for Negativity's Sake.... Why Define Yourself So Illogically? (Supplimental)

[Morgan]

Maestro please cue the swelling music & raise the curtain if you please....

I just came across a comment on my blog by Reed Farrington concerning my issues with a rude TrekSpace member & I think his comment & my reply pretty much sum up what I was having difficulty trying to understand.

First here is Reed's comment:

Comment by Reed Farrington 21 hours ago: Um, I'm sort of conflicted with regards to this blog and the comments that followed. I didn't like the latest movie and I apologize if my negativity in my blogs or comments has been demoralizing for anyone. I don't normally use swear words, so I'm guessing some of you are appreciative of that fact. Actually, I've had people make "rude" comments against me for my dislike of the movie. One good thing about the impersonal nature of the Internet is that I can choose to ignore these people without having to come in contact with them. I realize that IDIC can only extend so far, so banning "extremists" may be appropriate. But as has been suggested in a more rude manner, I do fear that a Landru-like mentality is pervading TrekSpace. This being a Star Trek site, I hope many of you will understand that reference.

And here is my response on his page:

At 5:46pm on July 5, 2009, Morgan said…Thanks for the comment on my blog. I can appreciate anyone's opinion & can agree to disagree when it comes to the new movie. In fact, your Don't Hate Me Because I Hated Star Trek blog was one of the first items I read when I joined TrekSpace & I rather enjoyed it. The problem I had with Fizbin (and the whole reason I made that blog post in the first place) was the irrational, hate-filled anger that he had against anyone that didn't share the same near rabid dislike of the film that he did. He dared people to explain why they enjoyed the movie & when people gave them answers he would throw derogatory insults mocking them for their enjoyment. If he was as much of a liberal & fan of Trek as he says he is, then he would have the capacity to voice his displeasure, appreciate & accept the fact that not everyone is going to have the same views of Trek & move on. Unfortunately I have heard quite a few stories from other members that tell me this person is not one to adhere to that level of adult behavior.

Maestro drop the United Federation of Planets flag behind me if you please..... Wha, you think we should put up the IDIC too? Isn't that a bit too.... OK, you have a point. Well since we are going all out can you cue the 'Battle Ground' theme from Patton? Sweet. What about a uniform? You're right that's too much....

And Maestro if you please....

First off, I would really hate to be seen as a mechanical Landru. (For those that don't know the TOS reference look here.) There is always room for differing points of view & I welcome alternate perspectives, but what I can not abide is open hostility, irrational hate & verbal attacks against others who simply do not share the same opinion. When I hear a story that a grown adult -- that has admitted on his profile to being a fan of Star Trek & it's liberal views since 1972 -- verbally abuses a 14 year old boy for not sharing the same point of view, I become frustrated. It is hypocritical. It goes well beyond crossing the line. Personally, I have no problem with using colorful language. I've made truck drivers turn blue at some of the things I have said, but I use more than that to put my point across. I express my personal opinion in what I hope is an intellectual sense & when someone asks me why I feel that way I answer them with my point of view sprinkled with a few facts & figures. This person is at the very least 10 years older than me & he has shown himself to have the emotional maturity of a donut.

As for Fizbin, it appears that his profile has been removed; however, I was informed that he has a second profile so this garbage may start up again. Until that time, it is my hope that all of you that have read these last two rants enjoy productive discussions, interesting debates & pleasurable banter between your fellow Trekkies.

Maestro curtain!

[X'Zarreth T'Kon]

"Thank You Morgan, for Your "Gracious Hospitality" in Both, Welcoming & Encouraging, ALL of Us here, to "Share" Our Views & Experiences on this Subject... That was "Very Elequently" Stated. "I Feel Exactly the "Same Way" as You do on this... Personally Speaking; I could not "Concurr" with You more." .:Beams:.

"Tees-eor-es-Mozama, "My Friend,"
Vulcan Translation:
"Live Long and Prosper, "My Friend,"

...X'Zarreth T'Kon: Vulcan's Supreme Sovereign Ruler & Grand/Majestrix...

[Morgan]

Hello X'Zarreth T'Kon. As in all things, when one drama ends, another must take it's place. So this statement also seems to bear bitter fruit in the TrekSpace community as well. The best we can do is ride out the hysterics, shake our heads at the rather sad displays of "adult" behavior & move on to what we are all really here for & that is our love of Trek.

[X'Zarreth T'Kon]

"Greetings Morgan, "I just wanted to say that, as a "Friend-in-Fandom" that I Found the "Subject Matter" on Your Blog to be Most "Engageing" as well as "Compelling" on an "Intellectual Level." ...Hence, I have "Great Empathy" for ANY and ALL People who Unfortunately have had to "Deal With," the Sad & "Pathetic Manner" of Such Individuals... Especially when One's "Own Viewpoints" iether Happen to "Differ With," or Do NOT "Conform To," thier Own "Warped Sense" of What IS Actually Star Trek FACT on ANY "Given Subject" on Star Trek. ...And as such, they Reject what IS the "Great Priviledge" which is Gene Rodenberry's "Gift" to ALL of Us, As True "Friends-in-Fandom." As You can "Well Imagine," I Too, have had a Similar "Unpalatable Experience" with Such an Individual, on a RECENT Topic of Discussion Entitled: (Vulcan Royal Family) which Posed the Question: "Does/ or Did the Vulcan's have a Royal Family?"

"Like You I Too, was expecting to Engage in, some "Positive" Intellectual Discussion and NOT some Negative "Emotionally Charged" Debate, All Because "My Answer" Did NOT Happen to "Accord With," Or (More Importantly) "Conform To," the WARPED "Personall Ideals" & "Beliefs" of a Certain Member who joined TrekSpace (Very Recently,) ...Let's just say that, I was NOT Expecting "My Answer" to have to Lead to, My Personally Having to Completely "Re-Aquaint" and ("Re-Educate") this Individual on the Subject of Both What "LOGIC" Is, as well as the Use of "Discretion" & ALL of The "Proper Manners" of What Star Trek "ETTIQUETE" is ALL About..." Let's just say that, Out of ALL of the People who Commented ("ALL of Whom, Expressed thier Views Objectively & "Rationally") on This Subject, that with the Exception of "This ONE" Individual, Without My having to Mention Thier actual Name, that Thier Obvious "Obsurdity" in Expressing Thier rather "Warped Views" on the Subject, was So "Emotionally Charged" that it Was Almost "Palpable" in that, it Really Raised "Some Eye-Brows!" in that, it Gave Everyone who "Read It," Great Pause..."

"Again, Allow Me to say, that I Have "Great Empathy," as well as "Respect," for ALL Here, who have had to Endure Such "NONSENSE..."

[Morgan]

A great point.

[Captain Pike]

Regardless of if you love or hate the new Trek film, to personally attack others for their opinion goes against everything Star Trek stands for. If you do this, then you really aren't a true Trek fan. Below are the words from Gene Roddenberry.

[Beth]

Amen to that Wolverine Studios. LOL. (No pun intended.) I'm only 37 and have been watching Star Trek since I was two or three when Mom was channel surfing. (Back when we had only three channels to choose from) and even at that age, I knew it was the best science fiction show ever. I was hooked immediately. Yes, you are right, there's fans which has its root word from fanatic....then the fanatics. I deal with this very thing with Johnny Depp fans who spend every waking hour poring over the internet because they are so obsessed with the man, that they want nothing else but Johnny. Their husbands, their kids, their bills don't matter, so long as they can go into that Johnny Depp world and stay there. Everything they say and do, they do as if Johnny sees it and approves. One of them even photoshops angel wings on Johnny with every photo of him she sees. You can tell she's on the warpath when the black winged Sweeney Todd angel comes out! I say these people love the man to the point of disrespect! They are the type of fans who prompted him to want to buy an island and be private. These are the type of fans who want to know how many breaths he takes a day, how many times he pees and poops, how many times he chews before he swallows his food and then about drive us all nuttier than they are with worry and dread every time another celebrity drops dead because they seem to happen in threes and if someone starts over with one or two...they about pull their hair out and bite their nails into the quick until the all clear: a third celebrity that's "god forbid" not Johnny kicks it. Johnny would be offended by these people yet...they think he approves of them and their behavior. It's a no win situation for sure. They make my life a living H. E. double hockey sticks because I work for his top impersonator. They know Johnny is aware of him and approves of him. And, they know it is a matter of time before he meets the man they worship with more fervor than a zealot....so of course they do anything and everything they can think of, which is as bad as what Fiz does to those who liked the movie...to me because they know if Danny meets Johnny I'll likely be the first to hear about it and they absolutely cannot stand that thought, nuh unh. They sucked up to Danny for a while there, but when they realized they didn't have a chance of meeting Johnny via him, they started slandering him too. People like this and Fiz are want you to believe they are haters...but in reality, they are not haters at all, but in fact closet admirers who act like total hypocrites when it's all said and done! They want people to think they are important and have power lest they impress someone who might know Johnny. They read my blogs, comment on the things I write, and track Danny's every move and word by blurting it out on Johnny message boards! So if they HATE, why do they say it then cling?? Makes no logical sense right. Have any of you noticed that Fiz mentioned that he went to see the movie more than once??? If you see it once and hate it, you don't spend money to see it again! Truth be known, he likes it. He just already established himself as a Trek purist and doesn't want to admit that he liked something he made up his mind that he was going to hate from the beginning! What's interesting is, that everyone noticed: any time someone comes up with reasons why it's good, he shoots it down. You simply can't tell these kinds of people anything. He's convinced he's right even when he's wrong and that everyone else is wrong even when they are right, or knows they're right but won't own up to it. I have found people like this on every message board, both Trek and non Trek, in Yahoo groups, and in book clubs and Wolverine Studios, you've hit the nail on the head when you talk about Trek Extremism. It's not much different from religious stuff. After all the JD fans I mentioned carry idolatry to a whole other level. It is OK to love something, When you love something that much, and it gets in the way of everyday life...well...let's put it to you this way. This woman left her enabler husband and her kids to live a pirate's life. She's moved onto working on another impersonator just because it's the closest to Johnny she'll ever get. It's not my job to judge her, but deep down these people like this are miserable in their own lives and hate themselves and reality so much, they go too deep into their own heads and fantasy worlds, then when any reality kicks in...they explode. These people are the only thing I hate about my job. They never go away, but they are few in number and in the scheme of things aren't as important as their inflated egos make them out to be. :)

[Wolverine Studios]

Unfortunately, we must deal with humans in our Trek world. Some of us are fans and some of us are FANATICS.
The FANATICS are much like any other extremist. Their way is the only way. Fortunately Trek Extremism has not gone as far as religious extremism. At least I have never heard of anyone bombing a school because the Praetor ordered it.(Knock on Tritanium)
As I have been a fairly faithful view for 43 years, I guess it can be said that Trek is akin to a religion to me, but like my actual religion, my relationship with my deity is my own and it is no one elses place to tell me whether that relationship is right or not.

[Reed Farrington]

I've always thought that in arguments between Spock and McCoy, McCoy would often resort to racially charged, insulting epithets. There's a certain irony in that, because Star Trek was science fiction, this "racism" was not commented on. (There's an added irony in that McCoy was from the south.) Now before everyone jumps to the defense of McCoy, I understand that underneath the apparent hostility, Spock and McCoy were the best of friends. I suppose it's like how friends often insult each other. Since McCoy was the emotional one, he was "irrational" in his use of insults, but Spock being logical would not retort in the same manner. Spock may not have liked the insults, but coming from McCoy, I think he didn't mind too much. After all, Spock did entrust his soul with McCoy.

To elaborate on the book "On Being Certain," some of the neuroscientist's conclusions are based on observations of brain damaged patients. It seems that people can have beliefs even when the reasoning centers of the brain have been damaged. This is interesting because we often get in arguments with people and we try to get people around to our way of thinking. We often think a person is stubborn when he can't see things our way. And we often think he is "brain damaged." Well, a person could in fact be brain damaged! Ha ha. So as they say, sometimes there is no point in arguing with someone. Now, of course, this doesn't preclude the fact that both people in an argument may be brain damaged. Ha ha.

[Morgan]

Agreed but I would never dare to compare the dynamic of Spock & McCoy to anything concerning Fiz. (I just can't see anyone trusting Fiz with their Katra.) The Spock vs McCoy comment was directed towards the Robert A. Burton book that Reed mentioned earlier. I was just contemplating what a fireside discussion would be like if both of them had read the book & were having one of their patented arguements. It's an interesting idea at any rate.

[Beth]

Whoops, I found a typo. I said "And I agree: it's not nice to see a young kiddo who's just discovering the Trek universe, who wasn't even born yet when Voyager and DS9 were on the air!" I meant to say it IS nice to see young kiddos discovering the Trek universe...got interrupted by a phone call so didn't complete what I meant to say, which was that it's unfair of someone to jump on a kid who comes here to talk about Trek with other fans...and discovering adults who act more childish than he is. Sorry for that error.