Star Trek turns 60 today

That is a remarkable lifespan for a television idea—and an even more remarkable lifespan for a vision. For six decades, Star Trek has insisted that curiosity is stronger than fear, that cooperation is not naïve, and that humanity can become better than it is now.

I have enjoyed many corners of that universe, but when I think about what Star Trek means to me, I keep coming back to two captains: Jean-Luc Picard and Kathryn Janeway.

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They are very different leaders. Picard is the diplomat-philosopher, measured and deliberate. Janeway is the scientist-explorer, warm but formidable, forced to improvise thousands of light-years from home. One commands the Federation flagship with the weight of civilization behind him. The other must preserve that civilization when almost everything familiar has fallen away.

Together, they offer two versions of the same enduring lesson: character matters most when the map runs out.

Continue reading “Star Trek Day 2026: Picard, Janeway, and the Courage to Lead” →