I didn't really get the impression that all Vulcans were xenophobic from the film, but I suppose that was because I put down both the children and the one elder who called Spock's mixed blood a 'disadvantage' as not representative of everyone on the planet.
No, it's true that they're not representative and shouldn't be taken as such. But they are the only Vulcans aside from Spock and his family who have speaking roles. And these are the two main scenes featuring Spock with his people, and they're both hostile encounters. I can see how it's easy to come away with a negative impression of Vulcans. And while on the whole, fic dealing with the Vulcans have been nuanced, a lot of the ones I've read dealing with Spock growing up and his relationship with his people, paints that relationship as hostile and disapproving of him and his mother.
It is canon that Vulcans are quite insular as a people, and have a bit of a superiority complex. (Which to be fair---is not entirely unfounded. On average, they're smarter, and stronger than humans, and a lot of the member races of the Federation.) It's kind of sort of lucky that they also have a deeply ingrained sense of morality which means that that sense of superiority doesn't translate into colonial imperialism. (i.e. their cousins the Romulans. Who they'd rather not be related to)
I haven't seen the Memory Alpha article, but my father never told me that he loved my mother until after she had died, and I'm just British
My parents are the same way---affection doesn't come easy for them. (Chinese families and British families have a lot in common!)
True---but part of the problem is, you don't have to intend unkindness to cause harm. And when it comes down to it, I can't blame Spock for reacting as he did.
*G* In addition, Dianne Duanne wrote "Spock's World," which is wonderful in its world building and exploring how Vulcan culture evolved, and the intricacies of their philosophy. Lots of politicking and plotting too, and it stars our favourite Vulcan and his family. :) It's been long out of print, alas, but second hand bookshops may have it, and Amazon has a lot of second hand copies available for purchase. (I'm not sure who in Paramount we have to poke with a pointy stick to get them to re-publish the novel and make it widely available for Vulcan and Star Trek fen)
No, it's true that they're not representative and shouldn't be taken as such. But they are the only Vulcans aside from Spock and his family who have speaking roles. And these are the two main scenes featuring Spock with his people, and they're both hostile encounters. I can see how it's easy to come away with a negative impression of Vulcans. And while on the whole, fic dealing with the Vulcans have been nuanced, a lot of the ones I've read dealing with Spock growing up and his relationship with his people, paints that relationship as hostile and disapproving of him and his mother.
It is canon that Vulcans are quite insular as a people, and have a bit of a superiority complex. (Which to be fair---is not entirely unfounded. On average, they're smarter, and stronger than humans, and a lot of the member races of the Federation.) It's kind of sort of lucky that they also have a deeply ingrained sense of morality which means that that sense of superiority doesn't translate into colonial imperialism. (i.e. their cousins the Romulans. Who they'd rather not be related to)
I haven't seen the Memory Alpha article, but my father never told me that he loved my mother until after she had died, and I'm just British
My parents are the same way---affection doesn't come easy for them. (Chinese families and British families have a lot in common!)
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- not necessarily meant in an unkindly way.
True---but part of the problem is, you don't have to intend unkindness to cause harm. And when it comes down to it, I can't blame Spock for reacting as he did.
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