The utopian society portrayed in shows like Star Trek will never happen.
That thought process went something like this, at a high level: thinking that the Pre is a great device, that it is pretty close to the Hitchhiker's Guide device that I want, what the universe would be like if everyone had access to all the information all the time (as in the aforementioned Guide), and then whether it is possible to level the playing field sufficiently so that the ultra-harmonious societies depicted in utopian-style sci-fi would be possible. I came to the conclusion that it would not be realistic to think that a peaceful world-wide society could exist - at least not for the human race, anyway.
Most of the utopian societal concepts are based on the premise that humanity is basically, intrinsically good. I submit, however, that it is just the opposite: humanity is basically, intrinsically evil and there are too few selfless people in the world and too many selfish people to completely quell the desire for power which a utopian society requires. Human beings are self-centered by nature and utopia calls for everyone to be other-centered in order for things to work. As soon as one person decides to do things for self, the utopia unravels and without everyone playing by the rules, utopia degenerates into anarchy. Personally, this is why I feel that communism and socialism (at least in their current forms as I understand them) can never really work for the long term.
Star Trek is interesting insofar as while the human race has reportedly found a conflict-free society on earth, the star ships that go exploring constantly meet conflict in other races. How would they go about reconciling that conflict with the ideals and naivete about people who only resolve conflict with violence? I wonder how utopian people can be encouraged to be individuals and strive for excellence and yet still be expected to abide by the tenets of a utopian society which, for all intents and purposes, would become a "lowest common denominator" type of society that could not allow commensurate compensation for excellent output? This would only work if one believes that a human being is intrinsically good and cares less about themselves than they do about others and would always be willing to give up their own ambition to compensate for the least among their group.
But, as I said, if you believe that humanity is incapable of that level of goodness from the get-go, then sci-fi tales of conflictless societies become exactly that - science fiction. Much of Jesus' teaching was what I would say were the ground rules for a utopian society - love your neighbor as yourself, love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, etc. If that was intrinsically part of our DNA, I don't think Jesus would have had to come and tell us these things over and over again (nor would Buddha, Muhammad, Ghandi, or any other notable peaceful or religious figures). Furthermore, they probably wouldn't have been met with opposition if it resonated with a basically good collective soul of humankind, and just about every religion in the world has either caused conflict or endured it at one time or another in its history. Even Jesus himself said that he didn't come to keep peace, he came to make it and that sometimes making peace involves engaging in conflict.
I don't think that we should ever stop making shows like Star Trek, or Fifth Element, or Logan's Run, or any other idealized take on future society; I believe that we should strive to make peace wherever we can and strive to get as much of humanity as will accept it going in the direction of an overall peaceful society. I just don't think that it can or will truly happen until the Prince of Peace comes back and the world is set right again like it was in the beginning before we messed it up. As we've seen time and time again from history repeating, the human vision of peace is something that is tenuous at best and cannot last for any real length of time. It's nice to hope for a perpetually peaceful society, but unrealistic and perhaps detrimental to pine or yearn for something that cannot ever come to pass. We have to get over ourselves and admit that we're broken people, not gods in waiting. I have to admit that I won't ever become basically good while on this earth, but can follow the One who is coming to make things truly, innately good once again and get a ticket for that time when utopia can finally come to pass because the ugliness that is human hubris will have gone away forever. I think our continual desires for this perfect society are just one more way that our subconscious cries out for a relationship with our Creator, oftentimes without us even knowing it or recognizing what is really going on.
Kind of an amazing thought process to get here from the humble seed of thinking about how much I like my Pre, huh? This is just the way my mind works, kids. Now you know.
Hey man, here are my thoughts ;) Tell me what you think:
Selfless behavior is what is called for from Christ. But I don't understand why that has to be played out in a Communist or Dystopian fashion. It's not that we can achieve a perfect society on our own - certainly not. We were made for the one city whose king is God, the Jerusalem from above.
What I'm saying is that selflessness doesn't equal lack of ambition or greatness. How could it, if we are called both to be excellent and full of love for our brothers, but none of self. There is a Christless society that strives for perfection, but it is a counterfeit. Nonetheless, however false, fleeting or twisted, it is perhaps a shadow of the real thing.
The Brave New World picture of the lowest common denominator denies our nature as deep, spiritual and glorious creatures of God. It is none more selfless than the tyranny of a toddler. Godly desire and purpose are noble, and any society that hopes to be a people in perfect relation to each other will recognize this.
So the idea that a Star Trek utopia is impossible because of human nature doesn't ring true to me. The reason being, Star Trek doesn't represent a utopia. It does represent, at its best, a mixture of Godly characteristics, hard won diplomacy, courage, and true selflessness. I am especially reminded of the Picard, who personifies grace under pressure and valor in service.
True selflessness can only be given willingly. When the self if suborned, bred into captivity, squashed, erased, homogenized, or otherwise maligned, all that is truly accomplished is a sort of slavery. To the extent that selflessness is volunteered, or rather self is submitted willingly to God—just as Christ volunteered himself, for it is written that he emptied himself—utopia can be achieved.
For once disease and want are eliminated, and technology has advanced our knowledge beyond its furthest borders, what is utopia but a citizenry of people rightly related to each other. And this can only be when we are rightly related to God, or so I am told.