I concur with you wholeheartedly, Temporal. I am a member of PugWash, an international organization with the purpose of education and discussion of impending technologies and their effects on humankind. In no other place have I found such a rich area and strong presentation of the moral and ethnical debates concerning technolgy than in Star Trek. Whether it would be discussions tending toward genetic engineering, environmental impacts, or even the inalienable rights that Locke presupposed upon humanity, the Next Generation has been my favorite vehicle of demonstration and explanation upon my peers.
Now, truthfully, I haven't watched the shows since Gene Roddenberry died back in 1992. When Gene died, it was as if he took the spirit of the show with him. Instead of episodes which made you seriously think about the issues involved in the show afterwards, I felt like I was watching episodes made simply for entertainment, which is not something that I wanted. Deep Space Nine was alright in some cases, but Voyager has been a serious disappointment to me. The concept of aliens on the other side of the galaxy all looking alike, speaking fluent English, and efficiently use anarchisms and idioms just doesn't stand up in my mind. My favorite aspect of the show has always been its basis in reality; that everything that happened was based upon some upcoming technology or concept in real life. It showed an almost utopia view of human society in the future; one where poverity, sickness, and other ills were combatted and conquered.
I don't think that Star Trek is dead. If anything, Gene's world should go down in history alongside Lewis, Hawthorne, and Tolkien for the influence that it has had on society. It is probably time to give it a rest though, and I hope that in this stressed and imperfect world of ours, the memories and stories can give us hope for the future.
Slashdot Mirror
Now, truthfully, I haven't watched the shows since Gene Roddenberry died back in 1992. When Gene died, it was as if he took the spirit of the show with him. Instead of episodes which made you seriously think about the issues involved in the show afterwards, I felt like I was watching episodes made simply for entertainment, which is not something that I wanted. Deep Space Nine was alright in some cases, but Voyager has been a serious disappointment to me. The concept of aliens on the other side of the galaxy all looking alike, speaking fluent English, and efficiently use anarchisms and idioms just doesn't stand up in my mind. My favorite aspect of the show has always been its basis in reality; that everything that happened was based upon some upcoming technology or concept in real life. It showed an almost utopia view of human society in the future; one where poverity, sickness, and other ills were combatted and conquered.
I don't think that Star Trek is dead. If anything, Gene's world should go down in history alongside Lewis, Hawthorne, and Tolkien for the influence that it has had on society. It is probably time to give it a rest though, and I hope that in this stressed and imperfect world of ours, the memories and stories can give us hope for the future.