TenForward: Where Every Vulcan Knows Your Name

Yes, you've kind of highlighted my key philosophical and political with problem, of which TNG is the most egregious example.

The arc of history does NOT bend toward justice. Believing so lulls us into complacency and laziness. Eventually, if we just wait long enough, we will achieve utopia by default, no need to do much about it.

Of course, if TNG inspires you believe such a thing as possible, and thereby motivates you to WORK towards it, great! But I find more often it acts as a sedative.

The West Wing might be a good comparison for someone looking at how fictional narratives act as a social nepenthe. Like, yes, a good portion of those fans saw the discrepancy between the show and reality and worked to change it, but how many people were just happy to have the show? How many people saw the West Wing and didn't notice that it is absolutely not how America's politics operate and left every episode feeling happy that right always prevails.

And the whole aversion to violence is completely ahistorical fantasy, as far as I can tell, but very convenient for a class of people who have achieved everything they need materially but would like to maintain a sense of moral superiority while maintaining the status quo that they benefit from (see: New York Times editorial page).

Personally, I don't believe in progress. I think it's a myth. Technology is a glittering lure trapping us in a future that will never come, and that lure shines brightest in TNG. I believe societies rise and fall and there are mechanisms underneath it all that we can effectively do nothing about (including getting swept up in them). I don´t think humanity is groping towards perfection, but will continue to rise and fall until a catastrophe we foresaw and failed to prevent paves the way for the Age of Polydactyl Cats.

But I do love Star Trek because it is ABOUT this shit in a way many shows are not, even if I don't agree with their take; and often they'll at least RAISE objections to their own premise, sometimes answered, sometimes not. And, of course, weĺl always have DS9.