Rest in peace Leonard Nimoy.
Inevitably, most of the news coverage focuses on his iconic role as Mr. Spock. Nimoy wrote a book "I am not Spock" only to write a subsequent book "I am Spock." He perhaps suffered from the blessing and curse of having a very public persona that defined him for many people. The two books seem to imply that he eventually acknowledged -- maybe even embraced -- that he would never fully escape the attachment to Spock.
Recently, there's been a growing trend of appreciating or celebrating geeks. Even the recent JJ Abrams Star Trek movies have a notable hip edge to them that was non-existent in the original TV series, which featured episodes written by well known science fiction authors.
I wonder about this trend for two reasons. First, it seems to apply only to male geeks. Second, it seems to correlate with some high-profile "geeks" becoming billionaires. So maybe it's the most modern variant of celebrating rich, powerful men.
There wasn't an appreciation for geeks when Star Trek first came out and even when I watched re-runs. If you admitted being a Trekkie or Trekker, you might as well have said "No, I didn't have a date on Saturday night…I was playing Dungeons and Dragons."
Mr. Spock was my favorite character from Star Trek. In a fundamental sense, he was the ultimate outsider caught between not only two cultures, but two worlds. Through his intellect, he managed to make his mark. But it was through his emotions that he made his real impact.
In "This Side of Paradise" Spock immerses himself in emotions, feeling love with Leila and ultimately anger when Kirk shakes him free of the effects of the spores. There are two poignant quotes that offer tremendous insight into the swirling eddies within the deep, still waters of Spock. When he is explaining to Leila that he can not be with her, he says: "I am what I am, Leila. And if there are self-made purgatories, then we all have to live in them. Mine can be no worse than someone else's." And at the end of the episode, the last moment is given to Spock when he responds to Kirk: "I have little to say about it, Captain. Except that, for the first time in my life, I was happy."
Leonard Nimoy's last tweet: A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP
"Amok Time" offered insights into the angry -- repressed -- emotions within Spock. Yet even with the "burning" he begs T'Pau to release Kirk from the ceremony, realizing that it will end badly for his best friend. When Spock sees Kirk back on the Enterprise, he displays perhaps his most joyous expression of emotion. He can not contain himself yet he still feels embarrassed to admit his outpouring when McCoy confronts him, asserting he was displaying his "quite logical relief that Starfleet had not lost a highly proficient captain."
While "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" featured the most powerful commentary on racism from the original Star Trek, "Balance of Terror" included a character (Stiles) that openly displayed his disdain for Spock. After Spock rescues Stiles from certain death, Stiles points out that Spock did not hesitate to rescue him despite his prior, poor treatment of Spock. True to form, Spock asserts that he was simply ensuring that Starfleet retained a competent officer.
Of course the most powerful, emotional scene with Spock is the death scene from The Wrath of Khan. Even people without interest in Star Trek seemed to recognize the emotional intensity of this scene. While Spock relies upon logic to explain his action, no one could seriously believe his act was nothing short of heroic. At his funeral, Kirk heartbreakingly says "Of my friend, I can only say this: Of all the souls I've encountered in my travels, his was the most…human."
While Spock did his best to deny his humanity, every emotional moment of his life demonstrated what made him so admirable: Spock was kind.
Being kind drove him to overcome his desire to contain his emotions. Even when angry, it was ultimately kindness that brought him back to being present. Spock seemed to understand that life indeed is like a garden. And most perfect moments can probably be connected to deliberate acts of kindness.
Early in his career, Leonard Nimoy must have been worried that the persona of Spock would define Nimoy's personality in most people's minds. As Kurt Vonnegut said: "We are who we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be."
However, Nimoy seemed to inject more of his personality into the persona of Spock over time. Even in the latest hip incarnation of the Star Trek movies, Nimoy's character provided a certain gravitas, wisdom, wit and perspective that complemented the youthful energy of the new cast. The scene where the older Spock speaks to his younger self must have been particularly interesting for Nimoy.
So while most people associated "Live Long and Prosper" with Nimoy and Spock, I submit that both of them would also approve of "Be Kind."
Inevitably, most of the news coverage focuses on his iconic role as Mr. Spock. Nimoy wrote a book "I am not Spock" only to write a subsequent book "I am Spock." He perhaps suffered from the blessing and curse of having a very public persona that defined him for many people. The two books seem to imply that he eventually acknowledged -- maybe even embraced -- that he would never fully escape the attachment to Spock.
Recently, there's been a growing trend of appreciating or celebrating geeks. Even the recent JJ Abrams Star Trek movies have a notable hip edge to them that was non-existent in the original TV series, which featured episodes written by well known science fiction authors.
I wonder about this trend for two reasons. First, it seems to apply only to male geeks. Second, it seems to correlate with some high-profile "geeks" becoming billionaires. So maybe it's the most modern variant of celebrating rich, powerful men.
There wasn't an appreciation for geeks when Star Trek first came out and even when I watched re-runs. If you admitted being a Trekkie or Trekker, you might as well have said "No, I didn't have a date on Saturday night…I was playing Dungeons and Dragons."
Mr. Spock was my favorite character from Star Trek. In a fundamental sense, he was the ultimate outsider caught between not only two cultures, but two worlds. Through his intellect, he managed to make his mark. But it was through his emotions that he made his real impact.
In "This Side of Paradise" Spock immerses himself in emotions, feeling love with Leila and ultimately anger when Kirk shakes him free of the effects of the spores. There are two poignant quotes that offer tremendous insight into the swirling eddies within the deep, still waters of Spock. When he is explaining to Leila that he can not be with her, he says: "I am what I am, Leila. And if there are self-made purgatories, then we all have to live in them. Mine can be no worse than someone else's." And at the end of the episode, the last moment is given to Spock when he responds to Kirk: "I have little to say about it, Captain. Except that, for the first time in my life, I was happy."
Leonard Nimoy's last tweet: A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP
"Amok Time" offered insights into the angry -- repressed -- emotions within Spock. Yet even with the "burning" he begs T'Pau to release Kirk from the ceremony, realizing that it will end badly for his best friend. When Spock sees Kirk back on the Enterprise, he displays perhaps his most joyous expression of emotion. He can not contain himself yet he still feels embarrassed to admit his outpouring when McCoy confronts him, asserting he was displaying his "quite logical relief that Starfleet had not lost a highly proficient captain."
While "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" featured the most powerful commentary on racism from the original Star Trek, "Balance of Terror" included a character (Stiles) that openly displayed his disdain for Spock. After Spock rescues Stiles from certain death, Stiles points out that Spock did not hesitate to rescue him despite his prior, poor treatment of Spock. True to form, Spock asserts that he was simply ensuring that Starfleet retained a competent officer.
Of course the most powerful, emotional scene with Spock is the death scene from The Wrath of Khan. Even people without interest in Star Trek seemed to recognize the emotional intensity of this scene. While Spock relies upon logic to explain his action, no one could seriously believe his act was nothing short of heroic. At his funeral, Kirk heartbreakingly says "Of my friend, I can only say this: Of all the souls I've encountered in my travels, his was the most…human."
While Spock did his best to deny his humanity, every emotional moment of his life demonstrated what made him so admirable: Spock was kind.
Being kind drove him to overcome his desire to contain his emotions. Even when angry, it was ultimately kindness that brought him back to being present. Spock seemed to understand that life indeed is like a garden. And most perfect moments can probably be connected to deliberate acts of kindness.
Early in his career, Leonard Nimoy must have been worried that the persona of Spock would define Nimoy's personality in most people's minds. As Kurt Vonnegut said: "We are who we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be."
However, Nimoy seemed to inject more of his personality into the persona of Spock over time. Even in the latest hip incarnation of the Star Trek movies, Nimoy's character provided a certain gravitas, wisdom, wit and perspective that complemented the youthful energy of the new cast. The scene where the older Spock speaks to his younger self must have been particularly interesting for Nimoy.
So while most people associated "Live Long and Prosper" with Nimoy and Spock, I submit that both of them would also approve of "Be Kind."
1 comment:
Lovely tribute, Sayeed.
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