Meditation: The Western self
TYPE: Self-concept
PURPOSE: This Audio-visual Meditation Narrative shows the emergence of the Western notion of the unique individual from the stream of authority, tradition, and biological imperative.
CONTEXT:
Rojan, a 100-limbed Cthulhu-like demigod temporarily in humanoid form, feels the human emotions of jealousy and, then, anger. He opens to the pain of emotion and, from this, arises as an island-like free agent whose value is his difference from others.
(Rojan breaks up the kissing session.)
ROJAN: Kelinda, I told you to avoid this human.
KELINDA: I did not wish to.
ROJAN: I am your commander.
KIRK: That’s not enough, Rojan.
ROJAN: You did this to her, corrupted her, turned her away from me!
KIRK: If you can’t keep her, that’s not my problem.
ROJAN: You will release her!
(Rojan drags Kirk away from Kalinda. Kirk slaps him across the face, twice. Finally he has goaded him into a fight.)
KIRK: Why don’t you use your paralyser? You thought I was taking your woman away from you. You’re jealous! You tried to kill me with your bare hands. Would a Kelvan do that? Would he have to? You’re reacting with the emotions of a human. You are a human.
ROJAN: No, I cannot be!
(He throws off Kirk, into the arms of Spock and McCoy who are entering the room.)
KIRK: I’m stimulating him. (McCoy pushes him back into the fight.) You have no choice. To use this ship, you have to use our form and now you’re stuck with it, you and your descendants, for the next three hundred years.
ROJAN: You fool. These bodies are tools. We remain Kelvans!
KIRK: Look what’s happened in the short time you’ve been exposed to us. What do you think will happen in three centuries? When this ship gets to Kelva, the people on it will be human. They’ll be aliens. Enemies!
ROJAN: We have a duty, our mission. We’ve got to accomplish any way we can.
KIRK: Your mission is to find new worlds for your people to live in. You can still do that. We can bring this problem to the Federation. There are many planets in this galaxy that can be inhabited.
ROJAN: You would really do that? You would extend welcome to invaders?
(They finally stop fighting.)
KIRK: No. But we would welcome friends.
SPOCK: Rojan, you are only a link in a chain, following an order given three hundred years ago. This is an opportunity for you to establish a destiny of your own.
ROJAN: Perhaps. Perhaps it could be done.
SPOCK: A robot ship could be sent to Kelva with the Federation proposal.
ROJAN: But if we retain this form, where could we find a place?
MCCOY: Seems to me that little planet you were on is kind of nice.
ROJAN: And you. You would wish to remain with him?
KELINDA: He’s most interesting, but I wish to go with you. I believe I owe you an apology. (she kisses Rojan) It’s most pleasurable.
ROJAN: Yes. Very curious.
KIRK: You see, Rojan, being human does have certain advantages. Being able to appreciate the beauty of a flower or a woman.
ROJAN: Bridge, this is Rojan.
DREA [OC]: Yes, Commander.
ROJAN: I’m returning command of the ship to Captain Kirk. You will follow his orders.
DREA [OC]: Sir?
KIRK: Turn the ship around. We're going home.
METHOD: This is the social differentiation of the self. Consider the miracle of the social dynamism that generates the uniqueness that is the substance of the Western self-image.