ininewcrow

I got a package the other day from an online order I had made. My wife asked what it was and I joked and said it might be a bomb, some dust with poison or a virus or something. We laughed at the thought but it got me thinking of all the packages I just open without thinking all the time. I would never know it was a bomb until after it went off in my hands.

One of the most catchiest original songs I've heard in a long time.

Plus I love this modern day Woody Guthrie

A singer song writer with a guitar and a conscience.

I just finished watching DS9 Season 7 Episode 14 'Chimera'

The episode is one where Odo, the only Changeling in the Federation happens to meet another lost Changeling which sets off a series of conversations of what it means to be different in a society that is not like yourself. I immediately understood all the conversations, ideas, perceptions and perspectives as I watched this episode ..... because I've always felt this way. And even after many years, I still feel this way.

I'm Indigenous Canadian and I grew up and was born and raised in a very different world from the rest of Canada. I had my own language, my own culture, my own traditions, my own way of doing things and my own sense of strange humour and identity. I moved away from home about 20 years ago as an adult to live out my life doing something else in order to make a living and ever since then, I've always felt like an outsider everywhere ... I've never fit in and I always felt different. Many people were kind, helped me and did things for me but I always knew I could never properly fit into what is considered by most Canadians as a normalized white Caucasian man. It's also weird to call myself a Native because most people I meet, especially internationally outside of Canada ... seldom believe that I am Indigenous Canadian. Native Canadians are thought of as some sort of strange fairy tale that don't exist any more. I've been called Filipino, Chinese, Japanese, Peruvian, Asian or the best one was being thought of as an overweight Thai person. And after spending 20 years in the non-Native world, I talk like a white man, walk like a white man, think like a white man .... but I am not a white man.

This whole DS9 episode really struck me because it talked about all those feelings of being completely different from everyone else. That difference upsets me .... and it upsets me even more knowing that since I am different, everyone sees me as different and more often than not see me as unusual and probably a threat. Which is why the following dialogue from Laas really struck me:

"But even when you make yourself in their image, they know you are not truly one of them. They know that what you appear to be does not reflect what you really are. It's only a mask. What lies underneath is alien to them, and so they fear it. And that fear can turn to hate in the blink of an eye. "

There are a lot of good people in the world ... and I've met many of them online in this digital community and here at c/tenforward. But it always disturbs me that when worse come to worse and people are under strain and stress ... any amount of fear because people are different can turn to hate. Not just for a brown long haired Native guy but for any of us that have any perceived difference from the supposed 'norm' of society.

This episode of DS9 was just a striking reminder to me of that reality. But it also gives me hope that it is shows and writing like this that remind us of that reality and prevents us from falling into those fearful, ignorant states of mind.

Don't know how you guys feel about comparisons to Star Trek but I thought this was interesting.

Also, Mods ... if this kind of post is not allowed, I don't mind it being taken down.

I've only watched about half of all Star Trek content with series and movies and animations. I thought I had years of content to watch in the future ... but after hearing about other series from other people over the years, through comments in this community and through lists like this Youtube video ... I think I'll be spending the rest of my life watching scifi, the majority of which will be Star Trek.

Credit to @NegativeLookBehind@lemmy.world for the inspiration

Here's another variation

#musk #trump

#musk #trump

I just watched DS9 'Far Beyond The Stars' - Season 6 Episode 13

As a person of colour (I'm Indigenous Canadian) this was a very impactful, thoughtful and striking episode that really hit home on a lot of subjects they were still dealing with in 1998 when this first aired. The main story harkens back to the 1950s but much of the same issues from the mid century were still being felt in the 90s. In many ways, the messages from this show still resonate today.

We all like to think that 1950s style overt racism in the streets is a bygone thing and doesn't exist or not as prevalent any more but it is still there. I was totally amazed and blown away to watch this and to listen to the story it told. Racism may not be shouted in my face any more but I still feel it come out of the cracks of society every once in while and more often than not in social media forums and platforms where bad actors can anonymously scream and shout whatever they please.

This DS9 episode was a beautiful reminder of why I always loved Star Trek. It is through episodes like this that show us what we could be in the far distant future if we want it enough. As a kid and teenager, I always saw and understood the ideas and images of thinking that we could achieve a world in the future where colour, race, background or gender no longer mattered. I always noticed that in the Original Series and it was something I was really happy to see when I watched The Next Generation and Voyager as a teenager. I never got the chance to watch DS9 until now and after watching this episode I'm happy I did. That message of wanting a world of inclusion and openness is a really hopeful message I've always loved in Star Trek.

The bonus was in seeing all the actors, the main cast, and some of the supporting characters appear as they are in real life was amazing as well.

That simple message really resonated with me .... 'You are the dreamer ... and the dream'. We can all imagine a future where we can all be at our best and if we work hard enough towards it, we can be part of that dream. It's a small thing but in many ways, I'm happy to have this small community at c/tenforward with you ... I've always dreamt of enjoying Star Trek and now I feel that I am part of this digital dream with you all.

In everything else, I will never stop dreaming of a better future, no matter what may happen in the world ... I will always hope that we can all become part of that dream.

If you haven't seen the series yet, I would highly recommend it just to be able to see everything lead up to this episode. It is a definite highlight that will stick with me for a long time.