George Takei: Facebook 'mistakes' part of life
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Actor George Takei speaks to the media at a reception for the LGBT community held in Tokyo on June 5, 2014.(Photo: Shizuo Kambayashi, AFP/Getty Images)
George Takei is the most unlikely social media master at age 77 — with 7 million "likes" on his hugely popular Facebook page.
But even Takei makes mistakes that are compounded in the social media world.
Earlier this month, Takei posted a meme on his Facebook page of a woman in a liquor story standing up in a wheelchair with the caption, 'There has been a miracle in the alcohol isle (sic)."
The comment was immediately derided for its insensitivity. Takei, who campaigns for Japanese-American rights (he grew up in a Japanese-American internment camp) and LGBT rights (he disclosed his own homosexuality in 2005) says he learned from the incident.
"I learn from each of the responses that we get from the memes that we post," said Takei. "Particularly on this one. I was enlightened on the various degrees of disability of people who use wheelchairs. I learn something every day. And life should be a continuing learning experience."
"One should have the ability to apologize for the mistakes," Takei added. "And there's a realization of one's ignorance of some life realities."
A meme posted on George Takei's Facebook page provoked controversy.(Photo: George Takei/Facebook)
Takei continues to post his daily humorous posts on the Facebook page. He started the Facebook page almost as a lark to promote his musical Allegiance, a musical based on his experiences in the internment camps.
But when he put his sense of humor on display, followers started to pile on. It has far exceeded his core Star Trek fan base "of sci-fi geeks and nerds."
"By trial and error I found that the best way to do it was through humor. To be funny. It got more people coming," he said. "And once I reached a certain size, I started injecting social justice commentary."
Now there is plenty to see about Allegiance, which Takei hopes to bring to Broadway, and his new documentary To Be Takei. His marketing tool is in full force for both projects and it packs social media punch.
"Who knew?" said Takei. "I had no idea that it would grow this fast or be this massive."
On the downside there are Internet "trolls."
"(There are) the ones that have anger to share and negatives to fling at you," said Takei. "But that's part of life. In life there are bullies. You take it in stride. You don't encourage them. In fact, I ignore them."
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