# What do people see in Klingons? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 29, 2015, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-see-in-klingons/718839 "2015-04-29T20:24:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-see-in-klingons/718839/21 "2015-04-30T00:05:55Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I understand Jim Kirk isn’t much of a fan. Well, no wonder. The bastards killed his son. ---
**Author:** ![Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hershele_Ostropoler)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-see-in-klingons/718839/22 "2015-04-30T00:53:09Z")
I think Klingon was the first fully realized Star Trek conlang. I don’t know how much that’s cause versus how much it’s consequence, though. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-see-in-klingons/718839/23 "2015-04-30T00:55:14Z")
A heaping bellyful of gagh? ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-see-in-klingons/718839/24 "2015-04-30T01:37:25Z")
They are interesting. On TOS, just about every alien species was ‘good’ or ‘bad.’ That included Klingons. Then, as a result of Ronald Reagan getting along with Gorbachev, Klingons were still tough, but respected, on TNG. They were allies, but uneasy bedfellows. \* Star Trek \*is always at its best when there’s political intrigue in the air, and it’s really not clear what good and bad means. That’s when it moves beyond Roddenberry’s clear-cut morality plays and we get to witness diplomatic or political or war context chess-matches. ---
**Author:** ![troubledwater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@troubledwater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troubledwater)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-see-in-klingons/718839/25 "2015-04-30T02:00:27Z")
> [@Valteron](#): > > 1. Their language is revoltingly ugly and makes German, Arabic and Hebrew sound melodious by comparison. And yet, is still going to be made available as [a Duolingo course](http://www.slashgear.com/duolingo-to-add-klingon-language-course-10378497/). ---
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-see-in-klingons/718839/26 "2015-04-30T02:20:33Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > This is a common impression, but remember that when Riker served aboard the Klingon ship, he learned that they thought the same thing about humans. He also found that they laughed and carried on quite jovially among each other. Yeah, it’s only Worf who’s a humorless stick in the mud. Remember when he quit the Enterprise to go play warrior with his brother? They were sitting at the bar and Worf was banging on about duty rosters or something and his bro told him to put the ipad thing down and have some fun, for crying out loud. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-see-in-klingons/718839/27 "2015-04-30T02:27:41Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Leading to the unintended effect of making Worf look useless. All hat and no cattle, so to speak. But, it’s a [great](http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae145/chozzles/608%20-%20Fistful%20of%20Datas/Screenshot2012-05-05at121219PM.png) hat. ---
**Author:** ![Valteron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f17d59/32.png) [@Valteron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valteron)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-see-in-klingons/718839/28 "2015-04-30T02:48:20Z")
I have to admit there is one thing about Klingons that would account for all the women attracted to them. When Worf was being operated on in one episode, we saw that that bumpy shit goes right down the length of his spine. So I think there are good chances that his dick is big, and that it is covered in bumps like a ribbed condom or a French tickler. If Klingon women laugh a lot, now we know why. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-see-in-klingons/718839/29 "2015-04-30T02:52:55Z")
French Tickler … Klingon Woodrasp. ---
**Author:** ![AtomicDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AtomicDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomicDog)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-see-in-klingons/718839/30 "2015-04-30T04:21:59Z")
Klingon sex…if furniture isn’t smashed and bones aren’t broken, you aren’t doing it right. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-see-in-klingons/718839/31 "2015-04-30T07:52:44Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > This is a common impression, but remember that when Riker served aboard the Klingon ship, he learned that they thought the same thing about humans. He also found that they laughed and carried on quite jovially among each other. That and they drink blood wine and sing songs together, all while on duty! Ever see Hue-Mahns do that? Hell no ya’ haven’t! Yeah, I’d like to party with a Klingon. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-see-in-klingons/718839/32 "2015-04-30T08:38:04Z")
The sad thing is, archetypes like this are among the easiest for humans to relate to. That’s why it’s hardly unique to star trek e.g. look at the dothraki. A culture that puts honour and bravery above all else…yeah, there have been lots of those on earth, and we still do to a large extent even in cultures where brute force is rarely necessary. Eating disgusting stuff…yeah, plenty of places you can go to on earth where you will see people eating weird stuff (trust me; I live in China) and feel superior as you tuck into your ground beef guts (burger). Much easier to understand than the vulcans, where it’s not clear why they value learning and science over lying in a ditch and starving to death (if supposedly they have no emotions / feelings). ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-see-in-klingons/718839/33 "2015-04-30T10:22:46Z")
They and the Vulcans were really the only two recurring aliens on TOS. And its not really much fun to dress up as a Vulcan. They also appeared in all the motion pictures and had a regular character in TNG, and so were probably the most “developed” aliens while Trek was at the height of its popularity. Plus its fun to say “Sto-vo-kor”. Try it. “Sto-vo-kor” ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-see-in-klingons/718839/34 "2015-04-30T10:37:49Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > David Gerrold wrote a book called “The World of Star Trek.” Regarding Klingons, he wrote, “Klingons fart in air locks.” That about sums up Klingons. Yes. Also, they use rancid butter for hair styling. They smell of onions and garlic. They’re the size of giants, and they speak a hideous and incomprehensible language. Plus, they’re all ugly as sin. I shared a house with a bunch over them over a weekend once. It was madness. No, wait, that’s Burgundians. Oh, well, more or less the same thing. (Or it was some of my roommates in college. I keep getting this mixed up.) ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-see-in-klingons/718839/35 "2015-04-30T10:41:17Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I guess I like Worf. But he’s not typical- Obviously. All Klingons are awful, apart from the ones that you happen to be friends with. They’re OK. The rest? Awful. I guess that’s how it always goes with this sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-see-in-klingons/718839/36 "2015-04-30T11:50:52Z")
Frat Boys with _bushido_. ---
**Author:** ![Gothic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Gothic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gothic)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-see-in-klingons/718839/37 "2015-04-30T12:24:23Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > No-one bullies a Klingon. I agree this is the major attraction for trekkies. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-see-in-klingons/718839/38 "2015-04-30T12:24:26Z")
The Klingon uniform is more flattering to the more generously-proportioned male SF fan. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-see-in-klingons/718839/39 "2015-04-30T14:59:39Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > Obviously. All Klingons are awful, apart from the ones that you happen to be friends with. They’re OK. The rest? Awful. > > I guess that’s how it always goes with this sort of thing. I see what you did there - “some of my best friends are Klingons.” But Worf IS different. You can see it in his interaction with the “regular” Klingons. He learned Klingon ways theoretically. He lives by what he thinks the Klingon Kode of Khonor is, but in reality it isn’t. Plus, his personality has been tempered by both his parents and Star Fleet, especially Picard. Worf is the hybrid - the best of both worlds - Klingon battle skill and human compassion. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-see-in-klingons/718839/40 "2015-04-30T15:07:51Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Plus its fun to say “Sto-vo-kor”. Try it. “Sto-vo-kor” Compare “K’plagh!” to “Live long and prosper”. No comparsion. Plus, chicks dig bad boys. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-see-in-klingons/718839.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-see-in-klingons/718839.md?page=3)