Flash forward a few years. I've seen Star Trek, and I liked it. Then I caught CBS airing Deep Space Nine, and the seed that had been planted started to grow. In the years that followed, I became a Trekkie. My favorite series is still Deep Space Nine, and my favorite captain is without a doubt Sisko. I own hundreds of books, almost a dozen games, and all of the movies. Star Trek was the means by which I was exposed to a lot of things- and not in a bad way. The officers of the various ships (and the station) that the shows have featured are good people. They're tolerant of other people, do the right thing, make honest mistakes and try to account for them. I love this franchise in a way I don't love much else. I've watched quiet a number of television shows that I really liked. But can I tell you the actors who star in them? By and large, no. Trek is different. I can tell you the actors of the shows I've never actually watched much of- like Enterprise.
Why is it I like Trek so much? Outer space is something I've always enjoyed studying about. Also too is the fact that the officers of these ships are officers in a military organization. They may explore, but it IS a military force, too. I like the military- I like the strict chain of command, the disipline of it all. I've always been partial to the US Navy, and it's from the Navy that the Star Trek military takes most of its cues. I guess the main reason, though, is its main two points. The first is tolerance, and the other is the fact that humanity's main focus is on learning- exploring, trying to find SOMETHING to make sense of life. Being religious, I know what that something is, but knowing what it is isn't the main thing; it's the finding that "thing" that's important (generally speaking). The joy is in the journey, as they say. If you've read the "about me" section, you know I often feel as if I'm a bit of an oddball. The Star Trek legacy appeals to the oddballs, because it tells us that oddballs will eventually stop being perceived as "wrong" because we're different. But you can say that's sentimental tripe, too.
In any case, I'm a Trekkie and proud of the fact.