Star Trek doesn’t need to defend James Kirk against anybody

Star Trek.com wrote an article where they defend James Kirk and that seems pointless.

I understand it’s been nearly 60 years since Star Trek first debuted on screens and things have certainly changed quite a bit. Yet, I didn’t think we were so far removed from the original vision that Trek is now taking it upon themselves to “defend” James Kirk.

In a new article on Star Trek.com, the writer decided they needed to “defend” Kirk due to, well reasons apparently. We really didn’t get a reason, other than he said “gentlemen” to a room full of mostly men. Never mind that all captains are referred to as sir, but that’s another point.

But the simple idea that we have to “defend” Kirk is in itself just silly. To the writer’s credit, she does a very good job of defending him. Citing a bunch of well-researched examples that show Kirk for the leader he was (and will always be). So this isn’t about the writer or the article itself. Just the simple need of it existing.

James Kirk doesn’t need to be defended.

James Kirk was a product of his time and that should be respected

There are people who always look back and make passing judgments against a time period. Sometimes they’re fair, sometimes they’re not. Like the Wild West? Not romantic, just terrible. Nothing to do, sand is everywhere, and frankly, I’m not a fan of spending every waking hour at a bar/brothel because what else is there to do?

So when we talk about the Original Series, yes, from a modern perspective it isn’t of the same moral standards as today’s Trek. It doesn’t have to be. It’s a glimpse into a past, a past that should be respected as it was a building block to where we are today.

History is messy. It is not polite and it’s not supposed to be. It’s real, authentic, and raw. It existed and no amount of wishing things were different is going to change the fact that the past will never embrace modern sensibilities. That’s ok. It doesn’t have to be. It was what it was.

In 10 years, we’ll think differently about today. That’s what happens. Judging Kirk, or the classic Trek is just silly to do, and dare I say, pointless. It was a good show, even if it didn’t apply all modern sensibilities to the time period.

Without it, there is no modern Trek and that’s all the defending it needs.