AMBASSADOR SAREK, of Vulcan :
The Meaning of Spock's Existence is
The Very Meaning of Our Marriage :
What our two lifeforms combine,
and offer something of value to other lifeforms.
RODDENBERRY :
But if you take the madness, which happens to your people at the time of pon farr, then add to it the extraordinary strength of a Vulcan--"
AMBASSADOR SAREK,
of Vulcan :
Ordinarily an Earth woman could not endure that.
If she survived, she might be severely injured,
both physically and emotionally.
RODDENBERRY :
Regarding that--
AMBASSADOR SAREK,
of Vulcan :
Roddenberry, I will not paint a word picture.
I will say, that Humans and Vulcans mate in...
Somewhat similar fashion--in quite a similar fashion.
But physical contour, mass, duration and energy do vary.
Since we are deprived of our Reason, during this time,
the rest depends upon The Woman.
Not just her strength, but also her wisdom.
Her patience."
"Sarek's Son Spock" -- Gene Roddenberry talks to Mark Lenard in connection with
"Inside Star Trek", a tribute to Star Trek released in 1976.
Roddenberry to transporter officer:
Set transporter for Vulcan Embassy.
Coordinates on Vulcan Embassy.
Lock on to Ambassador Sarek.
Ambassador Sarek, sir. Engaging.
[transporter effect]
Welcome, Ambassador Sarek.
My old friend Roddenberry, it's been years since we've met.
"And I have many new questions, Ambassador--
much more intimate, and personal, than I have ever had to ask before."
About my son Spock, I presume.
Well, yes, if you include the beginnings of Spock...
There are some things I must know, Ambassador, in order to continue with my Star Trek journey.
Forgive me, but how were you able to... overcome... the Vulcan pon farr mating drive?
I presume you did overcome it, Spock's mother Amanda was human, and somehow she was impregnated by you—
Roddenberry, are you asking if we coupled?
Ehrr, yes, sir.
We know that Vulcans normally mate only once every seven years--"
And since it is known that we pay for our sexual repression during these years by an almost animal madness, this has aroused a... a prurient curiosity among humans.
It comes out of our affection for your son Spock, Ambassador. And your son's future. He's half Human, we've seen him reject a Vulcan marriage, is marriage to a Human female possible to him?
It was for me.
But if you take the madness, which happens to your people at the time of pon farr, then add to it the extraordinary strength of a Vulcan--
Ordinarily an Earth woman could not endure that.
If she survived, she might be severely injured, both physically and emotionally.
Regarding that--
Roddenberry, I will not paint a word picture.
I will say, that Humans and Vulcans mate in... somewhat similar fashion--in quite a similar fashion.
But physical contour, mass, duration and energy do vary.
Since we are deprived of our reason, during this time, the rest depends upon the woman.
Not just her strength,
but also her wisdom. Her patience.
Is it possible to ever completely overcome the pon farr madness?
It is probably impossible to a Vulcan in his youthful prime.
Fortunately, I was not.
And it was no doubt helped by the fact that I spent almost thirty years as Ambassador to other Federation planets.
And you spent many of those years on Earth itself?
Yes. But this gives too much credit to me.
Spock's mother Amanda is an extraordinary woman.
And Spock was the result.
The first Human-Vulcan mixture.
No, not the first.
But the first to survive.
As you must know, an Earth-Vulcan conception will abort during the end of the first month.
The fetus is unable to continue life once it begins to develop its primary organs.
The fetus Spock was removed from Amanda's body at this time --
The first such experiment ever attempted.
His tiny form resided in a test tube for the following two Earth months, while our physicians performed delicate chemical engineering, introducing over a hundred subtle changes that we hoped would sustain life.
At the end of this time, the fetus was returned to Amanda's womb.
At the ninth Earth month, the tiny form was again removed from Amanda, prematurely by Vulcan standards, and spent the following four months Vulcan term pregnancy in a specially designed incubator.
The infant Spock proved surprisingly resilient--there seems to be something about the Earth-Vulcan mixture, which created in that.. tiny body.. a fierce determination to survive.
And, as Spock grew into childhood, Ambassador--
Yes, yes. There must have been times when his inner mind wondered, if the fight to survive had been worthwhile.
You see, while all Vulcans, including our children, live by the code of IDIC, and believe that diversity is to be admired, and treasured, it must be understood that the display of emotion is considered on our planet to be grossly offensive.
No, more than that.
Shockingly indecent.
I can only explain that our attitude is rooted in Vulcan history, involving events of such bloody violence
that it's left our race forever scarred, and sensitive to displays of emotion.
Whether or not this Vulcan attitude can be defended,
the fact is, it exists.
Young Spock was allowed no smiles, no tears, no anger...
Such emotions, so common among your small children, are shocking, even appalling, to a Vulcan child.
Spock's playmates could only assume that the bearer of these emotions was exhibiting hatred for his fellows.
Some desire to embarrass, to disgust them.
The children were prepared to enjoy Spock's diversity, they were not prepared
for my son's demonstrating what seemed to be an obscenity of the grossest kind.
It must have been a cruel existence for Spock.
It was.
Then, what kept your family on Vulcan?
We felt... Spock's torture, of course.
But Amanda and I also had A Dream.
One that justified even the risk of our precious son's life and sanity.
What point is there in any life surviving unless it has Meaning?
The Meaning of Spock's Existence is the very meaning of our Marriage:
What our two lifeforms combine,
and offer something of value to other lifeforms.
"IDIC."
Yes. Infinite Diversity from Infinite Combinations.
It has given us quite a lovely Universe.
I will return to Vulcan now, if I may.
Thank you, Ambassador. Engage transporter.
[transporter effect]
================
OSEPH CAMPBELL:
The Libido is The Impulse to Life.
BILL MOYERS:
Comes from where?
JOSEPH CAMPBELL:
Comes from The Heart.
BILL MOYERS:
And The Heart is what?
JOSEPH CAMPBELL:
The Heart is the organ of opening up to
Somebody Else.
That’s the human quality, as opposed to the animal qualities, which have to do with, primarily with self-interest.
Opening up to that which is other is the opening of The Heart, and that’s as the troubadours saw it, it is the opening of The Heart.
BILL MOYERS:
I can certainly understand, though, why The Church was threatened by this, because how can you have a church if everyone’s libido is his or her Own God?
JOSEPH CAMPBELL:
Why Not?
Why can’t The Church handle that?
If you can sanctify a marriage that has been arranged,
why can’t you sanctify A Marriage where two people have Joined Each Other?
BILL MOYERS:
So the courage to love became
the courage to affirm against Tradition,
whatever knowledge stands confirmed
in one’s own experience.
JOSEPH CAMPBELL:
Yeah.
BILL MOYERS:
Why was that important in
The Evolution of The West?
JOSEPH CAMPBELL:
Well, it was important in that it gives The West this accent, as I’ve been saying, on the individual, that he should have faith in his experience, and not simply mouth terms that have come to him from other mouths.
I think that’s the great thing in The West.
The validity of the individual’s experience of what humanity is, what life is, what values are, against the monolithic system.
BILL MOYERS:
Was there some of this in the legend of The Holy Grail?
JOSEPH CAMPBELL:
Yes. Wolfram has a very interesting statement about The Origin of The Grail.
He says The Grail was brought from Heaven by
The Neutral Angels.
There was The War in Heaven
between God and Lucifer,
and the angelic hosts that sided one group with Lucifer,
and the other with God.
Pair of opposites,
Good and Evil,
God and Satan.
The Grail was brought down through The Middle,
The Way of The Middle,
by The Neutral angels.
BILL MOYERS:
What is the Grail representing, then?
JOSEPH CAMPBELL:
Well, the Grail becomes the, what we call it,
That which is attained and realized by people who have lived their own lives.
