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A ‘Star Trek’ Future Might Be Closer Than We Think

6 points by frostmatthew 11y ago

J_Darnley 11y ago
No it isn't. Star Trek, at least the version with replicators, is made possible by limitless available energy and matter<->energy conversion.
- byoung2 11y ago
  But, said Mr. Saadia, a post-scarcity economy is actually far more within reach than the technological advances for which “Star Trek” is better known. Warp drive isn’t coming any time soon, if ever, he explained, but wealthy retirees today already live an essentially post-money existence, “traveling and exploring and deepening their understanding of the world and being generally happy.” They acknowledge that the technology won't be there, but a post-scarcity economy might. I don't see how that could be possible without some of the technology in Star Trek, though. At a bare minimum, we would need to switch completely away from fossil fuels to an abundant/renewable, clean energy source, find a sustainable way to provide food, clean water, and shelter to everyone, and have universal healthcare at no cost to any individual. To accomplish any one of those without the level of technology seen in Star Trek seems like a stretch.
krapp 11y ago
People who use Star Trek as a template for a post-scarcity, post-capitalist economy need to realize that universe was built out of plywood, cell-tape and bullshit. It doesn't actually work because it's window dressing. Magic boxes make all the stuff and people are nice and smart and just better because future reasons, and so humans can always be presented as morally better than the aliens, even the aliens who are far, far advanced in every other conceivable way. I'm a Star Trek fan, but there is nothing to be learned about a post-scarcity economy, whether it could even exist, or how it might actually affect society from a show which presents Wesley Crusher as the archetype of human evolution. You might as well ask what the elves in the Lord of the Rings can teach us about the science of longevity. Star Trek has a lot to offer in terms of science fiction and speculation, and was ahead of its time in terms of how seriously television took the genre, and has inspired a lot of technological innovation. But it never took human character study or its own utopian premise seriously. If you actually care about these things, look elsewhere for insight. Star Trek has nothing for you but noble savages, thinly veiled racist caricatures masquerading as aliens, technobabble and nonsense.

6 points by frostmatthew 11y ago

No it isn't. Star Trek, at least the version with replicators, is made possible by limitless available energy and matter<->energy conversion.

byoung2 11y ago
But, said Mr. Saadia, a post-scarcity economy is actually far more within reach than the technological advances for which “Star Trek” is better known. Warp drive isn’t coming any time soon, if ever, he explained, but wealthy retirees today already live an essentially post-money existence, “traveling and exploring and deepening their understanding of the world and being generally happy.” They acknowledge that the technology won't be there, but a post-scarcity economy might. I don't see how that could be possible without some of the technology in Star Trek, though. At a bare minimum, we would need to switch completely away from fossil fuels to an abundant/renewable, clean energy source, find a sustainable way to provide food, clean water, and shelter to everyone, and have universal healthcare at no cost to any individual. To accomplish any one of those without the level of technology seen in Star Trek seems like a stretch.

krapp 11y ago

People who use Star Trek as a template for a post-scarcity, post-capitalist economy need to realize that universe was built out of plywood, cell-tape and bullshit. It doesn't actually work because it's window dressing. Magic boxes make all the stuff and people are nice and smart and just better because future reasons, and so humans can always be presented as morally better than the aliens, even the aliens who are far, far advanced in every other conceivable way. I'm a Star Trek fan, but there is nothing to be learned about a post-scarcity economy, whether it could even exist, or how it might actually affect society from a show which presents Wesley Crusher as the archetype of human evolution. You might as well ask what the elves in the Lord of the Rings can teach us about the science of longevity. Star Trek has a lot to offer in terms of science fiction and speculation, and was ahead of its time in terms of how seriously television took the genre, and has inspired a lot of technological innovation. But it never took human character study or its own utopian premise seriously. If you actually care about these things, look elsewhere for insight. Star Trek has nothing for you but noble savages, thinly veiled racist caricatures masquerading as aliens, technobabble and nonsense.