The importance of Spock as an icon of the XX century cannot be overstated.

Let me go back for a second. When I was a child in Spain, access to Star Trek was pretty limited. There were no reruns of the original series. I think it only was emitted during the 70s in Black and White. The Next Generation was broadcasted with a four or five year delay. And it stopped for several years just at the end of the third season. It took me years to know what happened with Picard and Locutus! Also, the movies were not big hits.

But everyone knew who Spock was. A lot of people told my uncle he looked like “Dr” Spock. He beared a clear resemblance with Leonard Nimoy when he was young.

In a lot of ways I’ve always consider Star Trek my “prime geeky love“. That iconic status and mystery, made me search for it. After having access to Internet, I devour everything about it. It was “my thing“, more than other stuff I love, because it was less known among my circles. I bought the whole DS9 series in VHS from UK, over the course of several years. I say that I learned spoken English through Star Trek. And written English through RPG manuals.

Spock is the most genuine example of “cool scientist“, in opposition from the “mad scientist” trope . Probably the first example. And was the one getting the spotlight in the series. He was the character to follow.

He is iconic to a level that only competes with a bunch of icons. I’ve seen him in posters of parties or t-shirts in big stores. He’s know by people that don’t even know what Star Trek is.

And none of this should been possible without the extraordinary performance by Leonard Nimoy. It is clear that he contributed heavily to a lot of things that define Spock. From the Vulcan Nerve Pinch to the Vulcan salute. But his biggest legacy  is the fact that his performance is replicated constantly. Every single Vulcan in Star Trek is impersonating Leonard Nimoy playing Spock. In tons of other media we have similar interpretations of “emotionless aliens/outsiders“. He created an archetype, which is a huge achievement. That is also a heavy burden, and Leonard Nimoy seemed only to embrace it after years of struggle.

There is also an overlooked idea in Vulcan philosophy that has always been appealing to me. IDIC. Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations. It resonates in me in a lot of diff
erent levels. On the personal level, on how important is to embrace the diversity that us humans are capable of produce.
And to the software creation, on how wonderful is the combination of different code, assembled to produce something magical together.

Leonard Nimoy will be greatly missed. Rest In Peace.

Life long and prosper.