What about the Wizard, our other central player? Is it appropriate to refer to the Wizard of Oz as representing the Rainbow orientation, given that Oz resides somewhere above the rainbow? The Wizard was not directly facilitating the display of all three colors on the spectrum during his meeting with Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Lion. He didn’t seem to display this extraverted version of Rainbow leadership. However, we think it is appropriate to suggest that the Wizard is an introverted Rainbow leader who can appreciate the strength of all three preferences and knows how indirectly (manipulatively) to elicit the best out of each of the three characters as they display one of these three preferences.
All of this intermingling of the three primary colors and various combinations of two colors (such as the Royal Purple demand for justice when meeting with the Wizard) was on behalf of Dorothy’s immediate goal: returning to her home. The Scarecrow was awarded his diploma, the Tin Man received his heart-shaped watch, and the medal of courage was bestowed on the Lion. However, the real winner was Dorothy. And she had the others (including Toto) to thank for the successful journey and the ultimate goal: the fuller appreciation of those who loved her (and whom she loved in return). Apparently, extraverted assistance was required on the part of those who loved Dorothy, for this young girl to come to an introverted realization that the loving assistance and emotional support being offered to her in Oz was also available back home on a farm in Kansas.
Star Trek
We move to a quite different setting. To quote Dorothy: We are not in Kansas anymore. We are in a distant location from Earth. However, as in the Wizard of Oz, there are additional characters to be acknowledged. The Star Trek narrative isn’t all about Kirk, McCoy, and Spock. It is also about the crew of the Enterprise – and Uhura, Sulu, and Scotty in particular. These three characters don’t just represent diversity of background. They also represented the flexibility of interpersonal preferences and switching between an extraverted and introverted attitude.
Each of them could be brave, smart, or caring, depending on what the situation demanded of them. Each could make fast decisions and take action (extraversion), in support of Captain Kirk, when needed. Scotty could rapidly move the Enterprise to warp drive, while Hikaru Sulu, with an Asian background, could operate like a Samurai on occasion. Each of these crew members could also be thoughtful and problem-solving (introversion), in support of Spock, when the situation required. Uhura was often the key source of information and analysis on the bridge of the Enterprise, while Sulu, as an astro-physicist, could offer critical perspectives regarding “strange new worlds” (unexplored planets).
Many of the story lines concerned Kirk, McCoy, or Spock being out on their own. One of them was stranded on some alien celestial body. Being left alone, each of them often engaged their strength in an inappropriate or overused manner. Kirk’s bravery led to foolhardy actions that got him in trouble. McCoy’s caring led him to sacrifice himself in a manner that hurt rather than helped the situation he was in. Spock’s analytic skills were overused, leaving him with little appreciation of the human factors that ultimately determined success or failure.
It often took one of the three other members of the crew to save Kirk, McCoy, or Spock from their strength. At the end of each episode, we find all six of the main characters assembled on the bridge. They are offering us a portrait of extraverted and introverted attitudes being blended on behalf of Rainbow Integration and Collaboration. The stage is set for a future adventure. Kirk, McCoy, Spock, Uhura, Sulu, and Scotty are ready to continue going where no one has gone before. They are searching for another Pot of Gold!
