The Federation as depicted only looks like a utopia if you are easily pacified and lack ambition. Those with goals are lured into academia or Starfleet. Howev

The Federation as depicted only looks like a utopia if you are easily pacified and lack ambition. Those with goals are lured into academia or Starfleet. However, they still won't give you big replicators. And genetic engineering, well ... if you stop and think about it, they have a secret group of genetic engineers designed to make cross-species hybrids happen, without getting too close to the prohibitions left behind by the Eugenics Wars. Want land of your own? Umm ... What about starting off on your own planet? Ask the Maquis how well that worked out. And of course you don't get to wirehead it. They'll pry you out of the holodeck whether you like it or not, even if you do your best work there. Goodness knows what kind of social engineering goes into keeping everyone so tractable.