The Side of Paradise is a very different type of Star Trek than the ones I saw before. One would be the depth in which it presents a much more unique problem. The other would be its ability to strike two very characteristics of human psyche. The sci-fi context describes this psyche to be prevalent among all sentient being. The psyche is the power of love and logic.
Love and logic would seem to be a mutually exclusive duality. A little like yin and yang. In this episode you can see how both are vital to a person. The enterprise comes to a planet where the inhabitants are seduced by a plant which makes them oblivious to life outside. Spock, the crew and Kirk are affected too. Personally the part of the episode I find the most vital is when Spock attempts to fight off the infection remembering his responsibility and caliber. This resonate a powerful emotion within him fighting the infection. In this case logic triumphs an artificial love for pleasure and peace.
On the other hand Spock who discovers love must resubmit to his conscience and logic. He must leave his love behind in order to go on with duties. At the outset it might appear that this is lost love. Yet when you appreciate the latter part of the episode fully, you realize that this is far from the truth. The reality is that this love endures. Love is abstract and while the pleasures felt by Kirk and the rest under the influence of the plant was fake, the Love Spock had towards the girl was not.
The concept of love and reason coexisting is a tricky one. Trying to put them together is always a problem.
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