Merchandise

Abstract

To defend Star Trek and themselves from negative stereotypes of excessive uncritical consumption of both media and material goods, fans frequently position themselves as idealists adhering to Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations (IDIC) and Gene Roddenberry’s vision of a better future. Thus, many Star Trek items function as liminal merchandise. They symbolize a better world and a better future and materialize it in the present. They signal to others how fans identify with those ideals. They offer aspirational reminders of elements fans wish to incorporate into their own lives and into the world around them. Even when merchandise does not seem to meet these criteria, fans can re-frame both it and themselves as making Star Trek’s ideals a reality by using toys, costumes, and other material goods for donations, fundraisers, and other charitable activities. Similar practices continue to affect many other media fandoms.