The Kobayashi Maru, for the non-Trekkies among you, is a simulator cadets at Starfleet Academy undergo in the Star Trek universe. It is designed to test how cadets perform under pressure. It is a no-win situation, and is deliberately designed as such. (Capt. James T. Kirk famously reprogrammed it to win.) Fast forward (or backward, if you’re at Stardate 8130.3) to the 2016 election, and references to the Kobayashi Maru are abundant.
@MelissaAmour72 Trump or Clinton? 2016 is the Kobayashi Maru of election years! It is literally the no win scenario! pic.twitter.com/9IfTiFF5Vm
— Steve Buckland (@SteveBuckland4) September 25, 2016
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If they ever make a movie of the 2016 election, they can call it “Kobayashi Maru”. #fb — Keith Mcilwain (@KeithMcilwain) October 25, 2016
The 2016 election is clearly the Kobayashi Maru. How’d Kirk beat that again. Reprogramming the simulator? Seems good to me.
— Matt Strott (@MesyComics) October 20, 2016
Of course, how obvious! This election is the “Kobayashi Maru” (no-win) scenario. #StarTrek @StarTrek — Wayne Benner (@TygrHawk) October 10, 2016
So, What Would Kirk Do? So far, the Canadian-born William Shatner is staying out of political opinion. And Chris Pine, who plays Kirk in the new films isn’t on Twitter. So, we’ll have to let Vulcan logic have the final word: Kobayashi Maru Picture from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Paramount Pictures, 1982. Spock picture from Star Trek original series, NBC.