Black History is Human History
“I am pleased to see that we have differences. May we together become greater than the sum of both of us.”
- Sarek
Part 4
This post is a Part Four of my (late-to-kick-off, and purely unofficial) Black History Month series.
Star Trek fans I’m sure recognize the symbol printed on my t-shirt (try to ignore my steely-eyed glare).
It’s the Vulcan IDIC. It represents the central premise of Vulcan philosophy:
Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations.
“The triangle and the circle are two different shapes, materials, and textures. They represent any two diverse things which come together to create truth or beauty, represented by the jewel in the center.”
- Spock
Star Trek Spreads Good Ideas
Yes, yes I know. Star Trek is just a science fiction franchise and Vulcans are a make-believe race.
Still, the Star Trek franchise suggests, via brilliant storytelling, that we’re better off as a civilization when we champion:
Diplomacy over War
Rationality over Unexamined Belief
Science over Dogma
Cooperation over Domination
Tolerance over Bigotry
Diversity over Homogeny
The Star Trek franchise has consistently been in the vanguard of social progress since it debuted in 1965. It’s been piping Enlightenment values into American homes over those 55 years - subtly but persistently.
Who knows, human civilization might just survive until 2364.
(with a huge helping of luck and assuming Enlightenment values emerge victorious from the 2020 election - a HUGE assumption.)
If we do make it that far, I suspect it will be in no small part because, as a society, we’ve internalized the fact that diversity (of genes, cultures, ideas, etc.) generally makes us stronger:
Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations.
I suspect also that by 2364 there really won’t be a need for a Black History Month.
Black history will be human history.
