64: Socrates in the Stars

"Birthright," Parts I and II. In the sixth-season episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, "Birthright," Parts I and II, there are parallels between Lieutenant Worf and the Ancient Greek philosopher Socrates. Both Worf and Socrates were accused of corrupting the minds of the youth, both were protesting the perceived injustices and irrationality of the established state, and both were sentenced to death by execution (a fate escaped by Worf more successfully than by Socrates!). In this episode of Meta Treks, hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison discuss the similarities and dissimilarities of Worf and Socrates. Had Worf been successfully executed, would Worf have been remembered in future Klingon history as a martyr and as the founder of a new Klingon philosophical movement, Worfism (and eventually neo-Worfism), emphasizing the ideal form of the Klingon Empire? In addition, Zachary and Mike discuss ancestral and cultural identity, both in the galactic melting pot of the Star Trek universe and in our globalized society here in the real world. Finally, not forgetting the subplot of the emergence of Lt. Commander Data's newfound ability to dream, Zachary and Mike discuss the role and significance of dreams and mythology in a modern, progressive, scientific, and rationalistic society. Chapters Welcome to Episode 65 (00:01:06) Worf and Socrates (00:03:08) Worf the Martyr and Neo-Worfism (00:10:56) Slavery, Melting Pots, and Cultural Identity (00:28:13) Fatherless Data and Worf - Identity and Meaning (00:37:10) Klingon Beatnik - "Hey, Mr. Bat'leth Man, Slay a Targ for Me" (00:48:48) Modernity, Dreams, and Mythology (00:56:11) Cosplay and Choosing Your Own Identity (01:07:44) Final Thoughts (01:11:10) Hosts Zachary Fruhling and Mike Morrison Production Mike Morrison (Editor) Zachary Fruhling (Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Patrick Devlin (Associate Producer) Kay Shaw (Associate Producer) Kit Loffstadt (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager) Send us your feedback! Twitter: @trekfm Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm Voicemail: http://www.speakpipe.com/trekfm Contact Form: http://www.trek.fm/contact Visit the Trek.fm website at http://www.trek.fm/ Subscribe in iTunes: http://itunes.com/trekfm Support the Network! Become a Trek.fm Patron on Patreon and help us keep Star Trek talk coming every week. We have great perks for you at http://patreon.com/trekfm