In all, I hope you’ve learned a little bit about the philosophy of Humanism and that these episodes from Star Trek have given you much food for thought. For today, humanity is at a crossroads. We can either give into our hatreds and destroy our future, or strive to be our better selves and seek the stars. I, for one, am an optimist, guided by a resolute commitment to the dignity of humanity and our capacity for good. That optimism, that sense of wonder at our collective future, that steadfast belief in our progress— these are values that I gained from Star Trek, and broadly, from humanism. Every day, in how we live our lives, we should cherish diversity, argue for equality, and strive towards making a better world. We will stumble along the way, making mistakes and experiencing setbacks, but as long as we learn from them and grow in our wisdom, we will ultimately lead lives that are full of love, learning, and longing. As Gene Roddenberry said, “It is the struggle itself that is most important. We must strive to be more than we are. It does not matter that we will not reach our ultimate goal. The effort itself yields its own reward.”