To Boldly Prep, Like No Prepper Has Done Before

September 8th is National Star Trek Day. A day dedicated to the beloved sci-fi fandom that has been around for decades. Star Trek has been on TV since 1966 and has spun off into several popular TV series and countless movies. The show is so popular that it has parody spin-offs such as The Orville enjoying just as much success as them. As of 2020, there are over 5,500 dedicated fans (or Trekkies, as they call themselves) in over 240 fan clubs, with many more not joining. The fans are so dedicated to the franchise that many have learned the foreign languages made popular on the show like Klingon. Whether your captain is James T. Kirk, Jean-Lu Picard, or Christopher Pike, we can learn a lot about surviving doomsday while on board the USS Enterprise.

“Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of a few.”

(Spock- Wrath Of Khan)

This line may bring tears to a Trekkie’s eyes, but it is good advice when making decisions for a large group of people during the apocalypse. Deciding during doomsday is most likely going to be a life-or-death decision. You will need to weigh the pros and cons of everything you do to ensure everyone’s survival. Supplies and people are in very short supply, and wasting them is frowned upon. You got to resolve issues the best you can to benefit as many people as possible, not just what one or two people need. No matter what you do, there will be a loser in the end. Since it is impossible to make everyone happy, try to make a majority of the population happy.

“Things are only impossible until they’re not!”

(Captain Jean-Lu Picard- “When The Bough Breaks”, Next Generation)

Picard is definitely the captain that is best known for his words of wisdom. Out of all of his most profound quotes, this is the one that I feel best captures a survival situation. Things after a disaster are going to seem bleak. Loved ones are gone and clean-up looks overwhelming. Top that with a loss of creature comforts we once took advantage of, like phones and refrigerators. As every observes the rocky, windy road ahead of them, many will see rebuilding their lives as an impossible task. Nothing is impossible if you try hard enough to solve the problem. Just because things look that way now, doesn’t make it so in a month or two. Little by little you can rebuild.

“Never spend more for an acquisition than you have to.”

(Quark- “Emissary”, Deep Space Nine)

In the show, they refer to it as the Third Rule of Acquisition according to Ferengi culture. It means anything you want comes with a price. So, how much are you willing to spend on it? Going into a situation with a set price in mind helps you find a better deal on it. It also helps you from being taken advantage of in a negotiation situation that involves haggling. Price too high you’re wasting money, but pricing it too low people will take advantage of the situation, or cause them to leave thinking it is defective. Knowing the value of items will help guide you through a bartering situation, which will probably be the new economy in the apocalypse.

“The prejudices people feel about each other disappear when they get to know each other.”

(James T. Kirk- “Elaan Of Troyius”, Original Series)

Kirk is best known for his actions than his words, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a nugget or two of wisdom. This quote best fits in with the rebuilding effort of society. As the new society grows, you’ll need more facilities to make things smoother. More buildings mean more people to operate them. There is a high possibility that these people will be strangers to the group, and as we’ve all seen in the films, they are often spies for some enemy force trying to take everything you have. Because of this thinking, prejudice towards new people will be at an all-time high. True, trusting strangers too early is a bad thing, but let them grow and build trust with others by doing minor jobs around town. Soon they’ll feel like your neighbor, instead of a threat.

“I can’t say much for the circumstances, but at least this is your big chance.”

(Leonard McCoy- “Galileo Seven”, Original Series)

Now, this one isn’t exactly a survival quote you can apply to your everyday life. But, the episode this quote is from however is about the overall survival of the show. Gene Roddenberry was struggling to sell Star Trek to a network, and with the pilot episode “The Cage” being a colossal flop, no studio wanted it. Out of options, Gene tried his luck with an unlikely person to give his vision another chance. This woman heard his pleas and did just that. This person was the comedy legend, and the Godmother of Star Trek, Lucille Ball. Despite misunderstanding the show’s concept, she stood by Gene’s side during the making of his second pilot, “Where No Man Has Gone Before”. The episode “Galileo Seven” was the show’s way of thanking her for her patronage.