The Future in Star Trek Feels Very Far Away

The year 2020 is a very futuristic-sounding year, but in reality, the past 7 months have shown us that we haven’t progressed as far as we’d like to believe. We’ve had to navigate a pandemic that didn’t need to be nearly as deadly as it wound up being, while tackling social justice issues that our parents dreamed would be a thing of the past by now. Every day has been a constant reminder that we live in a facade, and that we still have so much work to do. Since I’ve been stuck at home the past few months, I’ve dedicated myself to tackling a feat I once thought was impossible: binging the entirety of the Star Trek franchise. I’ve always loved the universe, I’ve just never had the time to actually take a deep dive. But there’s no better time to boldly go where no man has gone before than when you’re stuck at home. Something that’s always been prevalent about Star Trek is that it exists in a future full of optimism, where humanity is united and their sights are pointed toward exploration. Capitalism is eradicated and prejudice (at least amongst humans) is a distant memory.  With everything going on in the world right now, but specifically in the United States, the future envisioned in Star Trek feels more like science fantasy than it does science fiction. I’d like to think that a future like that is possible, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I lose faith in that possibility every day.  That being said, there have been a few episodes that have really gotten to me an…