Money In Star Trek EXPLAINED

2. Future

So, we’ve got an outline, but where do we go from here?

Just like with the other eras, every current iteration of Star Trek since Star Trek: Discovery is reflective of the political and social climate it’s released in. Many of the stories involve widespread conflict and uncertainty, and pit the heroes against seemingly insurmountable odds. If that doesn’t reflect the economic and social struggles that most of the world is dealing with, maybe take a second look. It might also be worth mentioning the slight tonal shift of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 and why that might be, but let’s wait to form a real opinion on that until season 4 to see if it’s a pattern or an anomaly.

In the multiple Trek series that have come and gone in the past decade, the futuristic vision hasn’t changed, regardless of the tone of each show. Despite wars, sabotage, and multiple apocalyptic scenarios, prosperity is still not metered out to the few. Even post-Burn, Starfleet did everything in its power to support everyone it could. This current generation of Trek is a rallying cry to not be dissuaded by the odds. It’s an inspiration that a better world is still possible, and that it’s worth persevering for. The timeline for the New World Economy mentioned by Tom Paris might be a bit unrealistic for us, but ideally, we will get to that point without destroying the planet or each other.

The central pillar of this change is that it must be a conscious choice. Like many examples both in Star Trek and the real world, changes made by decree cannot last. Our society is currently more interconnected than it’s ever been, and while there are drawbacks, it’s helping us learn about and support each other in ways that have never been possible. If we can break the recursive cycle of individualism, I believe that we can aspire to something greater together. It all starts with community and the smallest acts of support.