Star Tim: the Next Johnny-ration. Producer’s Choice Show #22

I got the thumbs up from the man, eh, you know what I'm referring to, yeah, Jacob

chairman of the board and it is. It's show producers choice busted pencils fully

let it education talk educated educators talking education and truly Jacob's choice. He chose not

to have Johnny involved in this episode Jacob. Thanks for giving me the exclusive for this one man.

I'll tell you I'm glad to have you here. I don't know if you've ever seen the twilight zone. Have you

watched the black and white ones? Yes, that one old twilight zone. That's where I'm drawing my

inspiration from. If you remember that there's a little boy who if you anger him, he can wish you into

the cornfield. And that's what I've done to Johnny. He upset me and now he has been wished into the

cornfield. And thankfully, Tim, you have been completely compliant with my outrageous hosting

orders. So it's worked out. I appreciate that. And you know, I'm sure that the farmer out there

where Johnny is is appreciating Johnny being out there because it is corn harvesting time right now.

So, you know, good hands. Or as they say, you know, Johnny will not have idle hands. Therefore,

he will not, you know, do the work of the devil. He's going to be doing the work of me where I

sent him out to get my corn ready for the next producer's choice. But Tim, the good news is even

though Johnny's not here with the aforementioned corn, you and I are here and we're going to have a

great time. I feel on this show. I love this. And Jacob, I don't know, maybe it's something about

Johnny not being here, but I'm really not nervous. I mean, I'm kind of feeling

foot loosen, fancy free, as they say. I thought I was making you nervous with all of my hard-hitting

journalistic investigative questions. But I guess maybe it's just you're afraid that, you know,

Johnny's not going to like your answer or something. You know, maybe I always, deep inside,

I think he's judging me. I get that. Yeah. I am. Yeah, I spend a lot of time obsessing about

assuming that anybody else who's, you know, talking to me is also engaging in some form of negative

judgment. So well, the good news, Tim, is that we're here on the producer's choice show where the

audience gets to judge you for half an hour. So here we go for two to producer at Jacob's choice.

Chairman of the board. You and I will have two choices. Chairman of the board, Jacob.

Oh, Jacob. Chairman of the board. I've got the board. It's spelled B-O-R-E-D.

We choose to go to the full life's full of tough choices.

You chose one.

Dr. Tim, Jacob, producer Jacob. Thank you so much for being here on this exciting episode of

the producer's choice show. And now I can finally reveal the actual reason why Johnny's not here

tonight. Okay. And it's because every week on this show, I invite subject matter experts

onto this program. It's very important to me to have the best of the best come on.

I've had a lot of really great guests on the producer's choice show. And this week I thought

this is a subject for Dr. Tim Slecker. This is one I want all Tim all the time.

Nice. That's why I'm here. That's why I'm here. Jacob.

Welcome everybody to the Star Trek themed episode of the producer's choice show here on Busted

Pencils. Dr. Tim Slecker, we're going to be talking about something I know that you know a lot

about Star Trek. Yes. Nice. And you, yeah, you got that right too, Star Trek. I always get the

people like, you're like one of those Star Wars guys. And like, you know, don't be co-mingling

Star Wars and Star Trek. That doesn't mean I'm a Star Wars hater though, Jacob. It's just don't

co-mingle. I think you're absolutely right, Tim, because I would never co-mingle Star Trek and Star

Wars, because I like Star Wars a lot more. But for the purposes of this, I've got a Star Trek expert

here. And that's what we're going to be talking about. And Tim, I don't want to just talk about

Star Trek in general, because after all, we are an education based show. Even on Fridays,

we try to tie things back into education as best we can, no matter how much fun we're trying to have.

Tim, I've got a pretty simple task for you. Today, I like you to present me with three Star Trek

episodes that you would show to a classroom to teach kids some information. And we can talk about

them. You can tell me about these episodes. Because, Frank, I don't know anything about Star Trek,

but you can look through Rolldex. Tim, it's a casual one. It's just you and me. We'll work on it.

All right. I got one right away, though, Jacob. I cannot, you know, again, I'm not

truly the tricky, tricky type of person. You know, I haven't gone to a convention.

Not that I wouldn't, but I just haven't gone. You're more of an unconventional Star Trek fan.

So, like, but I'm not like one of those, you know, encyclopedia type of indexes. Oh, you're

talking about episode four in season five of next generation. And no, you know, but when you're

talking about probably one of my absolute favorites, then, well, back in the day, I would have shown.

I think today, I might be inviting a little bit of chaos, potentially moms for liberty might

not be happy, but there's an episode where all of the villains in this is the next generation.

All of the villains are on this kind of scavenger hunt to solve this this deep mystery. So,

you've got the Klingons, you know, you've got the Romulans. You, of course, then have the Federation,

which is made up of all kinds, but for the most part, you know, they represent humans.

And for the noobs out there, the Federation are our good guys with our with Captain Kirk and

Spock and guys like that. And these are these are other alien groups that they interact with.

Or John Luke Picard as we're talking about specifically here in the next generation.

And, you know, and so throughout this two episode drama, through this maze of this incredibly gifted

kind of, you know, Oracle, they're on this quest to get to what is going to be kind of like the

apple on the fruit on the tree of knowledge, right? It's got all of the secrets.

And actually though they interpret that to mean the gift of incredible power that would give

them the ability to, you know, not worry. So if you're a Romulan and you're worried about Klingons

and the Federation, if you get this knowledge, you won't have to worry about them anymore.

Okay, so is that that's the setup that basically that's the setup that they have heard that

there's something out there that once you get this, you won't have to worry about your problems.

Yeah, this is the solution. This is super intelligent AI got you, right? They get it.

Anyway, gets to the point where they they all show up on this remote distant planet.

And they activate, of course, there's, you know, an orb because there has to be an orb.

And they get the orb activated and they all get their simultaneously to do this.

And the out of the orb comes a, I guess you would say a, you know, a video recording of a life form

that had existed millions of years before the current humans, Romulans, and Klingons.

And saying it was us who brought you here this moment to see what it was that we did.

And what they did was this was this kind of like volcanic planet that they're on.

And in that volcanic planet that they're looking, this, you know, this image that's there

tells them to look down. And as they look down, they see, you know, like some lava,

some slop, some what appears to be water mixing. And points out and says, right there,

that moment when those three substances mixed, co-mingled life was created.

And from that moment, all life, you Romulan, you Klingon, you Federation, are all the result,

all evolved from this single moment of life.

I, I thought that was probably one of the most profound episodes.

To illustrate particularly this concept of, of, for me, it's that, you know, people are like,

oh, you're trying to teach religion. I know, I really wasn't. I understand now, too,

how somebody would be like, oh my god, selecker, you're trying to turn them into atheists,

sands, or some form of evolutionists. And well, I mean, if they get there, they get there,

I'm not telling them to have to. But it was that, that, that concept of going what if?

And the idea here is to illustrate what we see as differences in appearances, in cultures,

in ways of life, that if you strip that all the way, you come back to kind of a singularity

moment where we're all the same. Jacob, that's probably one of the most profound episodes

that I would have taught back in the day. And well, I'd love to try it again today. But,

you know, with the cover of some form of like an iron dome that would keep out, you know,

moms for liberty. Yeah, Tim, when I hear that, I can, I can see what you mean, thinking about

the aspect in which, oh, it's due to, because this is a biological origin for life,

it might be precluding a religious explanation for, for origin. But the point of it seems to me

to be something that, whether you're religious or agnostic or an atheist, you could,

you could see an aspect of truth in this, which is common origin for people who have disagreements.

You know, you can take this from its sci-fi context and bring it back to Earth and say,

at the end of the day, we have all these distinctions and divisions amongst human beings,

but we share a common origin. And then I think, Tim, that's something that anybody can get behind,

as long as they're not getting distracted by the particulars of the science fiction-based

scenario. Science fiction-based scenario, or, you know, the whole idea, you know, it's,

it's very, I guess you would say, anti, you know, young Earth creationism.

I suppose, yeah. And so a young Earth creationist could take this episode as a very direct

challenge to their way of seeing the world. And nowadays, that is like 60% of Americans, I believe.

Just joking, Tim. But yeah, I can see what you're saying. That does seem like a positive message,

though, to get out to kids. I mean, the idea that it's a commonality, a brotherhood amongst living

creatures. I would hope that at least most people could see a version of that story that is good.

Yeah, yeah. I mean, you know, it's, it's, it's, and so for me, it's, it's that. It's the,

it's the moral story, Jacob, that I was going for, you know, I was trying to bring out some

character. So that would be number one. What else you got? Here's my second question, Tim.

That's a good story from Star Trek that you think you would like to bring to children and learners

and educators and the educated of all ages. But what's a Star Trek tale that you felt personally

inspired you or influenced you personally? In those dark moments of the of the soul, Tim,

what do you look back and see Dr. Spock doing and say, I can do this if Dr. Spock got through this

episode. I was, you know, fully inspired to learn the Vulcan neck pinch to, um, that is a good

split. Actually, as kids, we always, you know, but I finally figured it out. Come here, Jacob,

and then I'd do it and then you wouldn't fall down. I'd be like, I didn't do it, right? So close,

so close. It's just, oh, I got that line up. Boy, um, me inspiring my own. Um,

okay, and we're going to weasel a little bit out of this as I'm trying to grab the

particular episode and go actually to me, one of the reasons I just enjoy and really admire

all the entire series is because while it's science fiction and things like that and futuristic

and aliens, actually, all of the stories in Gene Roddenberry even said this was is that his main

goal wasn't to create science fiction. He was just in science fiction to illustrate that,

there's something about humans that we have this proclivity to when we're given situations where

the ability to allow everybody's individual talents be the main things about what it is that

they bring to any situation that that, you know, grabbing of, of, again, people's best parts

is truly a uniquely human condition and it's there's kind of an aspirational, inspirational,

behind every kind of Star Trek episode that that kind of brings that sensibility of

teamwork, but maybe even a utopian idea of teamwork of going what the best of me is is what

they want here. And typically when the worst of me shows up, it's forgiven too. And that's where

it's kind of utopian. So I can have a knockdown dragout disagreement with you, Captain Jacob.

And once you give that final kind of, I hear you Tim, but we ain't doing it. Then I go, well,

then I'm good. Yeah. And we don't, and we don't, we don't dislike each other after we then do that.

We just forget that. That's what it works. So that's a long way of getting around probably to me.

It's probably the very last episode of next generation where

inspiring because Captain Picard comes and gets sick with some kind of, it's like a psychological

dementia type of disease where it has him literally shifting between time periods.

And it's, he exists in the present. And then all of a sudden, he finds himself in the past,

as the start and beyond, I was a little kid, but and then all of a sudden, he'll shift and find

himself in the future. And what happens to be, what seems to be a sickness is actually really a

condition of recognizing if you can hold three distinct realities in place, that that is actually

how you get to the solution of the current problem that you're facing in the present.

And so, but it was only the ability to say, you're not sick. There's a reason why you keep shifting

to the past because you didn't learn something in the past that you were supposed to learn.

There's a reason you keep shifting to the future because the future is the way it is because of what

you didn't do in the present. And now it requires that ability to see all three parts of that come

together. And that actually is the last episode where my favorite villain, non-villain Q,

sets up and saying, this was the trial of humanity. So, Star Trek, the next generation starts off

with episode one where they meet Q, which is this weird alien because Q is, and people are listening

and be like, my God, that's weird. Is an immortal type of God type of alien being?

And they meet Q for the first time in Q sets them up in this situation where if humans are so darn

good, I'm going to create a scenario where I guarantee you're all the bad parts of being a human

will surface. And in that first episode, they managed to overcome their human weaknesses.

And so the very last episode of Star Trek, the next generation, Q shows up again and says,

the trial had never ended, John Luke. It was always constantly a test. And today, you finally did

pass the test. Tim, as an extremely conservative religious person, I'm very upset with you because

I see philosophical questions being raised by this episode of Star Trek, the next generation.

And I don't like that. I like science fiction with freaking laser beams attached to sharks.

That's the sci-fi I like. This seems to be talking about the nature of the human condition,

the ability to accept the past, live with it, accept that it's part of who you are and see

the future clearly and worked it. This is all way above my head. I like what he's ripping arms

off in my sci-fi. And to me, that's kind of the gift of Star Trek over Star Wars. It does have

some of those cool lasers and spaceships and moving through all these things. But there's always

this human condition story. And that is profound. You know, are you going to ask me another question?

We've got a quick question to wrap things up, Tim. I just want to quickly touch on this because

it's a big part of Star Trek from the beginning with Gene Roddenberry, who created Star Trek.

Basically, and correct me if I'm wrong, the idea is to present a positive version of the future

where humanity has worked out its own problems and we can start exploring the universe.

That's basically the idea. And it's interesting to have that dichotomy between the very progressive

motivation behind Star Trek. And then that issue you addressed at the beginning where he said,

well, in the 90s, I feel comfortable talking about some of these Star Trek episodes. But now,

I'm not so sure. And I wonder, did you just have any general thoughts on the nature of time

and the way that progressive thoughts one day are now behind the times? I mean, Star Trek really

is a demonstration of how our culture has changed since the 1960s. Absolutely.

Yeah, I mean, think about, you know, and I've thought about this in ways. And so I'll take my own

advice when I said, think about it. Is that, you know, if you to see the the 60s and, you know,

through the early 70s and then the next generation reboot in the 80s and, you know, then the next one

after that deep space nine. And, you know, it just keeps going. And it's continuing though,

what you said, Jacob, this kind of progressive story. I'm not saying the things were bad all along

those times, but it kind of kept getting forward where you thought, yeah, we're making some

progress progressive, right? And look, well, slow down. No, we're not. And actually, I've thought

about this from a historical standpoint in a way of trying to look at, quote, you know, movements

and how shifts occur throughout time during, you know, our human history. And, you know, as

Johnny always says, history doesn't repeat itself, but it rhymes. I also think there are interesting

things when we're talking about, you know, the the the march of ideas. And I think that

what we are witnessing today isn't necessarily a progressive loss as much as I see that

this is a counteroffensive or, you know, the counterattack of a conservative way of life and values

that that kind of said, you know, and and felt that the progressive view was just too much and too

quick. And now we're seeing, you know, a very what some people may say is, my god, it's it's it's

extreme. And it almost has to be because it's going to then also, I think, lose some of the hard

edgeness of it because it's it's too much, right? And so this this push and pull that actually

is progress, which progress isn't linear. It's a pushing and pulling. And so asking me to look

at it that way. And I'll just quickly throw in. Reminds me of one of my other favorite start

check episodes of actually Jacob where this is this very thing that you're pointing out is

fast forward. So exploring the galaxy when we're finally get our poop together, we actually then

find while we're doing that that there are civilizations that, you know, didn't follow our

timeline. And in fact, they're still maybe in like a rural agrarian setting, some of these

worlds. And, but you know, we still want to study them. And so we we make ourselves look like that

alien. And then we go and live amongst them kind of like a traditional anthropologist.

And in one of those episodes, Captain Riker got hurt and got taken to a medical facility.

And they took the prosthetics off and went, oh my god, what is this? And he at that moment he had

to kind of reveal himself. And there was a person there who was trying to push the boundaries of

saying, we're not alone. And Riker takes him up to the ship. He's like, oh, okay, great.

It comes back and he starts trying to change people's minds. And it's too much. Society is not

ready for this such a profound shift. And in fact, one of his supporters of this guy who's trying to

proclaim the new word actually puts him down and just says, you're right, but we're not ready.

That's another one of those things, Tim, that I think we may view differently today.

You know, now that Riker is culturally appropriating in order to blend in with with

alien planet, we may not approve of such things now. And I know that this is the producer's choice

show, not the producer's opinion show, but I'll just say to him, I think when it comes to the long

curve of progress throughout history, I think progressives and liberals set the direction of society

and the conservative forces determine how fast we can handle getting there. And I think they're both

probably necessary parts of society and history. Tim, am I getting this right that Star Trek,

the next generation is your favorite Star Trek series? That's my favorite series.

I will say that actually I when I watch each new rendition, I find them all very good.

Very good, Tim. And I think you're going to be able to answer. Let's go in 60 seconds, Tim.

Given that you've talked about only one show this whole time, we know which one's your favorite.

What is your second favorite incarnation of Star Trek?

My second favorite is Star Trek Discovery, which actually came I think around 2019, 2020.

And it's great because it uses Commander Spock, but he shows up in a different time frame in a

whole different situation. And in this version, we're introduced to Spock's sister, who ends up

becoming the lead character on all of the episodes, Star Trek Discovery. And very quickly,

they get rocketed 900 years into the future by some mishap. And so then they are the ones who

have to get used to living in a 900 year advanced future, in which guess what, Jacob? Guess what

happened? The federation over those 900 years, the utopian disintegrated.

Oh great. Well, thank you, Tim. This whole episode got me thinking that things can get better.

And now I know that in 900 years, it's all going to fall apart. So that's wonderful.

Tim, Dr. Tim Slecker, thank you so much for being on your own show. It's always a pleasure to

have you here. And thank you, Jacob, for taking Johnny and moving them out to the wherever he is.

Johnny, we hope you're enjoying the corn. Johnny, you get that corn. And Tim, I think we've

got time for one last thing. Now it's time for your moment of sin.

I started studying history with one view in mind to look for answers to the issues and problems

I saw in the world about me. Thanks for busting pencils and listening to producer Jacob's choice.

Great episode. Hey, and if you want more, make sure if you're hanging on every Monday,

home room, every Wednesday classes in session, yes, Jacob is here every Friday for producer's

choice. And don't forget, every Saturday, you can tune in for one hour of your favorite blue

collar scholars, Tim and Johnny and people busting pencils.