Category: Star Trek

  • Captain Kirk Was Never the Original, by Alan N. Shapiro

    In its prevalent forms, the cottage consumer industry of Star Trek is a classic virtuality of identification where the viewers’ senses of self, otherness, and reality are blurred by the contemplation of iconic spectacles. The fanatic relationship to media objects and fetishized paraphernalia is a partial, transitional realization of the reign of simulacra.

  • The Klingon Language

    At the same time that many of the world’s languages are either out- right disappearing or imploding into deeper uncertainty and complexity, there is one new language which is currently experiencing rapid exponential growth in its number of speakers, and is the object of widespread fascination.

  • I consider Star Trek to be a great text of Western Civilization

    “I consider Star Trek to be a great text of Western Civilization” Scientist Shapiro on his vision of progress and the future Alan N. Shapiro in discussion with Joachim Scholl, Deutschlandradio Kultur The philosopher and computer expert Alan N. Shapiro explains his ideal for a future as an “employer.”

  • Star Trek, Marx and Time Travel

    Alan Shapiro – Star guest of the next Transmediale – on new computers, 1968 and anarchism Interview in the Berlin daily newspaper “Neues Deutschland,” January 5, 2010 Translated from the German by Dwight “Doc” Gooden As a software specialist, Alan Shapiro would like to set the digital world on a new footing.