After watching the renowned fictional series Star Trek the Next Generation season 4 episode 22 titled “Half a Life,” four psychological concepts were realized. These concepts that arise gradually in different parts of the episode include; stress, empathy, cultural influence and conflict. The episode begins when the U.S.S Enterprise takes in Dr. Timicin, Deanna Troi and Lwaxana from the planet Kaelon II. Dr. Timicin is on a mission to save his planet through scientific experiments meant to save his planet’s sun from collapsing. He experiences failure in this aspect. After having a discussion with Lwaxana, he reveals that his failure is connected to his worry of losing his life to a ritual performed in Kaelon II known as the “Resolution.” The “Resolution” entails a voluntary euthanasia exercise practiced in Kaelon II on individuals once they attain 60 years of age. Lwaxana is infuriated by this and is concerned for Dr, Timicin and even tries to intervene.
In the progression of this episode, the first psychological concept is stress. Dr. Timicin is under pressure to save his planet’s star from collapsing since he has a limited amount of time left. He is aware that he will be required back to Kaelon II for the “Resolution” and is afraid of his time passing before he saves his planet. This stress affects his performance in his experiments as he later expresses to Lwaxana. In the world today, employees of various corporate institutions are under pressure to perform from their employers as well their families causing them to underperform due to the resultant stress.
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The second psychological concept to reveal itself in the “Half Life” Star Trek episode is empathy . Lwaxana expresses empathy after learning about Dr. Timicin’s predicament. She even goes out of her way in her attempt to stop the Dr. from undergoing the “Resolution.” Today empathy is expressed variably, from people in developed countries contributing funds to support starving individuals in underdeveloped countries to people taking to the streets to demonstrate against the unfair treatment on their fellow citizens based on the color of their skin such as the Black Lives Matter demonstrations.
The third psychological concept that arises from this 22 nd episode of Star Trek is the cultural influence on behavior . The “Resolution” is a cultural practice in Kaelon II and so Dr. Timicin is expected to partake in it even in his unwillingness to do so. He initially resists the act and even decides to take asylum in the U.S.S Enterprise, but he, later on, accepts his fate as per-determined by the Kaelonian culture. Culture influencing behavior in the modern world is evident in the wide celebration of Christmas across the world despite the fact that some individuals that celebrate it are not of the Christian religion.
Conflict is the fourth psychological concept that is profoundly revealed through this episode of Star Trek. When Dr. Timicin decides to take asylum in the U.S.S. Enterprise to avoid “Resolution” B’Tardat a Kaelon II science minister sends two warships after the U.S.S Enterprise to make sure that Timicin does not leave the system. Conflict is a common result of a disagreement in the world today one renowned event being the Syrian Civil War where domestic and foreign forces are fighting against the current government and among themselves.
