Star Trek an optimistic view of the future? I don't think so. [View All]

[LadyLeigh]

As a long time Trekkie I always wonder why people quote Star Trek as being an optimistic vision of the future, in contrast to other science fiction franchises. I cannot say I agree.

If anything, what Star Trek suggests is that while technology and space travel causes the problems that existed on the small distance scales of individual planets to fade away, those very same problems re-emerge on the new relevant distance scale, the scale of a single galaxy, to a much more intense degree.

What Star Trek suggests is that while it becomes increasingly possible to create small pockets of "paradise" (Risa, Earth, the holodecks), the galaxy as a whole is basically one big war for territory and ever scarce resources that flames on in various degrees of intensity. And that space travel tends to cause the faction struggles within a single species to somewhat fade away, but in return replaces them by struggles of different species with each other.

While I enjoy watching Star Trek on TV, I don't think I would like to live in that world.

I would rate Star Trek as rather pessimistic: The suggestion that scarcity can never be overcome, regardless of how technology progresses.