Television has significantly influenced socio-political debate for generations, challenging pre-established notions of race, gender and our shared societal norms and values. However, despite the social importance of television, some might argue that storytelling does not retain substantial influence, with Jason Holland arguing in "Independent" that television is a "pale substitute" for cinema and that it does not therefore has no social impact. In this analysis, we will explore the sociopolitical influence maintained by one of the most diverse and progressive shows of the 1960s, “Star Trek” (NBC, 1966-1969). Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay In the 1960s, at the time of the release of “Star Trek,” Hollywood was dominated by Anglo-Saxon men, retaining a large part of the roles in cinema and television. This lack of diversity leads to a considerable lack of roles for ethnic minorities, causing a considerable representation gap compared to the thriving Black, Asian and Hispanic communities (contributing 11%, 0.6% and 3.5% respectively in the 1960s). However, this seemed to change with the introduction of the original "Star Trek" series, featuring strong, independent characters who crossed racial lines to be given a starring role: the seductive "Uhura" (played by Nichelle Nichols). for playing the first black woman she saw on television who wasn't "a maid" and who was even considered an inspiration to young people of color, including the infamous Whoopi Goldberg, now an entertainment mogul. In fact, "Star Trek", excluding a racially diverse cast, was the first series to feature an interracial kiss in 1968. This was highly controversial since Hollywood had banned depictions of interracial relationships from 1930 to 1956 and U.S. laws banned interracial marriages until 1968. 1967. Although only a small step in the right direction, it sparked debate within communities to challenge racial prejudices caused by generations of systematic institutional racism and has now allowed representation among developing communities to serve as inspiration. many might argue that the diversity of certain characters might serve a more detrimental purpose than initially anticipated. The character "Uhura" could be said to go through a process of fetishization explored by Marxist Pietz, also known as commodity fetishism, stating that "false consciousness based on objective illusions...[can transform] material objects as merchandise concealing exploitative practices. social relations, supplanting the consciousness of values”. Furthermore, this view of fetishism is at the point where objective institutional systems are “personified” by individuals. In short, the idea that "Uhura" is that of the "forbidden fruit", her strong role could simply be diluted until she is that of a sexual being, a strong and dark character at that. In terms of social relevance, "Star Trek" has always pushed the boundaries, while promoting people's interest in science, many would argue that the show's focus has gradually strayed from its original intent and is moved away from its scientific aspect, to encourage a more politically correct vision, the show being centered on a world where gender and racial equality was achieved. When the series was created, noteAltman, NBC pushed hard for diversity in its casting, on shows such as "I Spy," starring Bill Cosby, which debuted in 1965--partly at the urging of the network's Stanley Robertson, who was one of the rare African-American television executives. “Diversity was important to him and he struggled with racism,” says Altman. “In a way, he was the Sidney Poitier of television.” The series included Nichelle Nichols, who played communications officer Lt. Uhura, a rare position of authority at the time for a black, female television character. This idea promoted, once again, the breakdown of established prejudices regarding race and gender and largely affected the accepted social norms and values ​​of the 1960s, leading to new political debates and legislative reform. On the other hand, the show perpetuated current thoughts. and concerns about colonization and exploitation. The premise of the show was that of teams exploring the universe on a "civilizing mission", whereby they indoctrinate other galaxies into their alliance. Additionally, those who did not comply were considered those enemies of the states and fought in areas such as the "neutral zone". This, despite "Star Trek"'s wonderful attempt at creating a diverse cast, is foreshadowed by their imperialist characteristic, further perpetuating notions of colonization in the modern era, drawing the idea that those who are not integrated into civilization modern Westerners are savages and brutes. Additionally, George Byron Koch discussed the idea of ​​"fear of the other", according to which, like people, a key characteristic of human society is tribalism: its tendency to gather into groups that define themselves by certain common characteristics and differentiate themselves. with other groups and individuals who do not share these characteristics. The idea of ​​"fearing the unknown" within "Star Trek" could, however, be inspired by the social and political attitudes maintained by America in the 1960s towards foreign countries, as if it were acting as a metaphor by which individuals reflect and mask their ignorance of the unknown. other cultures and the desire to conquer and westernize third world countries. The show also explores the notions of communism and classless society. In the book "The Ultimate Star Trek and Philosophy: The Search for Socrates", writers Kevin S. Decker, William Irwin and Jason T. Eberl all argue that the series challenges notions of materialistic possessions and a classless society such as originally explored by Marx, arguing that the show addresses notions of "utopia" and how, as a society, we can transcend capitalist greed for the greater good of exploration and journey. However, despite this, stereotypes and traditional roles associated with race and gender remain, with no female presence. the leader always took charge of "the Enterprise" in the original series, retaining a white man to play the main role of captain. At the same time, even though there were more progressive elements in the show from my modern perspective, women still play minimal roles in the show, are often portrayed as weak or hysterical and emotional and the supporting roles are filled by “people of color”. unlike the white male majority and the two main white men. There are no racial slurs, although there are more than a few jabs at women. Additionally, despite a cohesive society with an abundance of different alien species, many prejudices remain among humans and their peers.