https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Roddenberry
In defense of Gene, he may not have always practiced what he preached, but anyone who’s being honest can tell you, it’s never about the perfection of the artist, it’s about the perfection of the artist’s vision. Gene’s vision was of a future no longer chained within the paradigm of racism/sexism/materialism. Original 1960s trek was camp as hell but hidden within it’s dated 1960s production lay the gems of Gene’s vision. This one scene was arguably more racially liberating than anything next gen or current trek has ever done: https://youtu.be/2BBOWsWODX4
Though life and the industry often got in the way, Gene understood what a real progressive show would be. He understood that words only have power, if you give them power. During the run of original star trek, Gene was asked about Uhura and the message he was trying to convey. Someone said to him point blank “you know Gene, I know what you are doing here”, Gene simply smiled, put his finger to his lips and replied “shh”.
It seems Gene knew he was preaching peace and that the industry didn’t want it. This is likely why he was so apposed to the direction the writers of next gen wanted to take the show years later. Forbidden words and displays of blacks and whites at odds. It is this “drama” that keeps everyone held in the racist paradigm. Gene didn’t want next gen to be like that. He didn’t want “good dramatic television” full of “character conflicts”. He wanted next gen to be truly progressive. Showing humanity, we didn’t NEED conflict among ourselves to feel accomplished. Gene wanted to show people what humanity could look like once we had given up our addiction to drama and truly stepped out of the negative paradigm. It all starts with your entertainment shows.
If you want peace/unity in real life, you show peace/unity in fiction. If you want words of hatred to have no power in real life, you show those words of hatred in fiction being said aloud having no effect on those who hear them. Inversely: If you want conflict/division, you show conflict/division. If you want words of hatred to have power, you show those words invoking an effect in those who hear them. Pain, fear, rage, conflict to the point where the word must be forbidden. This forbidding elevates such words into the immortal realm of gods and religions. Skeptical? So were some trek fans but what word comes off as more powerful? One that is said in plain English and nobody even flinches? Or one who’s mere abbreviation invokes fear, hatred, conflict, rage? It’s simple psychology. It matters not the claimed “moral” of the story at the end of each episode. What the human subconscious remembers, is the conflict. The drama. The power of a word made legendary by it’s forbidden status.
Many hated Gene for understanding this.
Even trek fans were glad when he was out of next gen production and the show took off in popularity round season 3. The fans wanted drama and they got it but they were all duped. The same entertainment industry that wanted to kick Gene off his own creation, is the same industry that, to this day, feeds you images of blacks and whites, men and women, at odds. Drama. Conflict. Forbidden words of power. While this industry claims to work towards ending racism/sexism, they knowingly fuel the fires. They know most people believe it when they lie saying “we are trying to end racism/sexism”. They know, so long as they keep you all divided fighting amongst yourselves, they can rule and make slave of you all. Regardless of your race/gender/orientation. You wont likely even realize it’s happening. Make no mistake, the “progressive” industry isn’t progressive. It WANTS to keep us in the paradigm of racism/sexism/materialism. It wants to keep us addicted to drama, conflict and fearing words.
While the modern woke mob will probably try to cancel Gene’s character through revisionist history, some of us did not miss that little scene with Uhura. She delivered that line in a way that showed in no uncertain terms, she was not slave to the emotions of an old negative paradigm. She was not mad, not sad, not afraid, or even offended, she was enlightened. She was FREE. That word of hatred had no power, because it was no longer given any power. It was not forbidden. It was not feared. The word of hatred died out in the open. Withered in the shining calm of mental enlightenment. It was one of the most liberating, peace making things I have ever seen. It still brings a tear to my eye. Though I first saw it in very old washed out reruns as a child, it’s impact was monumental. I will never forget that moment. I will never forget what mister Roddenberry tried to do.
Rest in peace Gene. : )