In a Star Trek Facebook group which will remain nameless, the above photo and mocking commentary which stated they were adding fuel to the fire regarding the series, Star Trek: Discovery.

The image is a promotional still from Star Trek: Discovery. It features the character Michael Burnham, portrayed by Sonequa Martin-Green, standing in the foreground with a confident expression. Behind her, the crew of the USS Discovery is visible, lined up in their uniforms. The image includes the caption “LET’S CRY!” The creator was hoping to mock her trademark captain’s statement for going to warp: “Let’s fly.”

While the creator of the image hoped it would incite people to rage, it appeared to have had the opposite reaction. Many people requested that such documents stop being presented to what is supposed to be a fan-supporting environment. While I might have once raged, I have been giving some thought to the psychology of the citizens of the Federation, particularly in an essay called:

“What would mental health look like in a Utopian society?”

In light of that essay, I realized whenever I speak about Discovery, it is to highlight its depiction of vulnerability, empathy, and connection isn’t a regression but an evolution.

In that essay I point out:

“Therapy in a utopia isn’t about fixing what’s broken—it’s about fostering self-discovery and growth. In such a society, emotions like grief, joy, and vulnerability aren’t stigmatized as weaknesses but embraced as essential aspects of being human. Emotional resilience, inclusivity, and proactive care would ensure every individual thrives, not just survives.”

Howze, Thaddeus. 2024. “QOTD: What Would Mental Health Look like in a Utopia?” Substack.com. The Cognitive Dissident. October 10, 2024. https://cognitivedissident.substack.com/p/qotd-what-would-mental-health-look

It’s not weakness—it’s strength, the next step in becoming the kind of people who would thrive in a Star Trek-like future. My goal is to challenge people to break free of the notion that strength is stoic or unemotional and instead embrace the idea that emotional depth is a cornerstone of our humanity.

This image, and others like it, reveal something deeper about the mindset of those who create or endorse them. It becomes evident that the creator has never truly experienced a full range of human emotion beyond fear or hate—both of which often manifest as anger. These posts, laden with mockery and disdain, often target shows like Star Trek: Discovery for daring to deviate from the historical over-representation of white men in media.

This backlash reflects a fundamental inability—or unwillingness—to understand that the decision to feature marginalized groups in leading roles isn’t about marginalizing others, but about broadening the spectrum of representation. It’s not a rejection of white men, nor does it devalue their worth. Instead, it seeks to address their overwhelming predominance in the franchise’s past and make space for other voices, perspectives, and experiences to shine.

Yet rather than acknowledge this predominance and its history, some critics take an all-too-familiar path: they revile, they mock, and they vilify. They dehumanize those characters who represent progress, empathy, and inclusion. They treat emotions—the very essence of what makes us human—as a weakness, ridiculing them instead of embracing them.

This is particularly ironic given that emotions like love, empathy, and vulnerability are some of the most profound expressions of human strength. What these critics are truly mocking is not just the characters in this show, but the fundamental idea of shared humanity.

Critics say: “The Show Lacks Balance”

The criticism that Star Trek: Discovery “marginalized white men” ignores the context of decades of media where white men were overwhelmingly represented as the sole heroes, leaders, and decision-makers. This series doesn’t erase those stories; it merely balances the scales. To resent this balance is to deny others the opportunity to see themselves reflected in these stories, to dismiss the voices that have been sidelined for far too long.

At its core, Star Trek has always been a franchise about hope, inclusion, and the celebration of diversity. It challenges us to envision a future where humanity thrives not because we’re all the same, but because we embrace and uplift each other’s differences. Star Trek: Discovery continues this legacy by daring to tell stories that center on characters who were historically sidelined—Black women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and others whose stories reflect the modern world we live in.

This image’s mocking caption, “Let’s Cry,” is emblematic of a deeper cultural issue. It dismisses the idea that emotions—grief, joy, vulnerability—are valid or necessary in storytelling. It reduces the expression of emotion to something shameful, ignoring that the strength of any character, fictional or real, often comes from their capacity to feel, connect, and persevere. What this kind of mockery ultimately reveals is the creator’s discomfort with the emotional and social growth that Star Trek: Discovery represents.

Star Trek is For Everyone

To those who feel threatened by these changes: the inclusion of marginalized voices doesn’t diminish yours. The broadening of representation doesn’t erase the contributions of white men in this franchise—it merely asks them to share the stage. Resistance to this change is not about fairness; it is about fear of losing cultural dominance. It is about the inability to process the idea that others’ stories are just as valid, just as meaningful, and just as worthy of being told.

What is truly human, what makes Star Trek resonate, is the idea that we are all better when we see each other fully—not just as stereotypes, but as whole beings with complex emotions and unique perspectives. To dismiss that is to dismiss the very future Star Trek asks us to dream of: one where humanity thrives, not because we hide from our emotions or deny others their place, but because we embrace the full spectrum of what it means to be human.

Star Trek: Discovery invites us to imagine a future where emotional intelligence and vulnerability are seen not as weaknesses, but as strengths necessary for thriving as individuals and as a society. Much like my vision of mental health in a utopia, the show challenges us to embrace emotional depth as a cornerstone of our humanity.

The crew of the Discovery reminds us that resilience doesn’t come from repressing emotion, but from navigating it together, with empathy and compassion.

Indeed! Let’s Cry. Let’s Feel Emotion! © Thaddeus Howze, 2024. All rights reserved.

Psychology in the 23rd Century Series

1. Howze, Thaddeus. 2024. “QOTD: What Would Mental Health Look Like in a Utopia?” The Cognitive Dissident. October 10, 2024. https://cognitivedissident.substack.com/p/qotd-what-would-mental-health-look
2. Howze, Thaddeus. 2025. “Indeed! Let’s Cry. Let’s Feel Emotion!” The Cognitive Dissident. January 9, 2025. https://cognitivedissident.substack.com/p/indeed-lets-cry-lets-feel-emotion
3. Howze, Thaddeus. 2025. “Artificial Memories as a Form of Restorative Justice?” The Cognitive Dissident. January 14, 2025 https://open.substack.com/pub/cognitivedissident/p/artificial-memories-as-a-form-of