Beam Me Up, Scotty! How We Can Build a Star Trek Future, Today.
- Gary Gibson
- 9 hours ago
- 8 min read
Gary Gibson
05/29/2025
For generations, Star Trek has captivated our imaginations with a vision of a utopian future. A world free from want, driven by exploration, and united by a shared commitment to progress. While warp drives and transporters might still be a distant dream, the core principles of Starfleet – universal well-being, boundless curiosity, and technological advancement for the common good – are surprisingly attainable. My entire political philosophy is based around Star Trek. Essentially, if a policy brings us closer to that vision I am for it and if it doesn't I am not. Let's explore this further by examining the bold policy changes we can make now. And how we can lay the groundwork for a future that echoes the optimistic spirit of the Federation.
Here's how we can start building our Star Trek future, one policy at a time:
1. Universal Basic Income (UBI): Replicating Abundance
In Star Trek, the replicator provides everyone with food, resources, and even complex tools, eliminating the need for traditional labor as a means of survival. While we don't have replicators yet, Universal Basic Income (UBI) offers a powerful real-world parallel.
What is UBI? UBI is a system where every citizen receives a regular, unconditional payment, regardless of their employment status or wealth. It's designed to provide a safety net, ensuring everyone can meet their basic needs.
How does it align with Starfleet? UBI frees individuals from the existential dread of poverty, allowing them to pursue education, artistic endeavors, scientific research, or community service – activities that contribute to society in ways beyond traditional economic metrics. Just as the replicator removes the scarcity of goods, UBI removes the scarcity of opportunity, aligning with Starfleet's ethos of individual flourishing and collective advancement.
Real-world implications: Pilot programs in various countries and cities have shown promising results, including improved health, increased educational attainment, reduced crime rates, and even a boost in entrepreneurial activity. As AI and automation continue to transform the job market, UBI could become not just a compassionate policy, but an economic necessity, ensuring a stable consumer base and preventing widespread societal disruption.
2. Universal Housing: No More Homelessness on Earth (or Beyond)
A hallmark of the Federation is that no one lives in poverty or without shelter. This principle of universal housing is fundamental to a society that prioritizes human dignity and well-being.
What is universal housing? It's the concept that everyone has a right to safe, affordable, and dignified housing. This can be achieved through various means, including public housing initiatives, rental assistance programs, and policies that prevent speculative real estate practices.
How does it align with Starfleet? In Star Trek, homelessness simply doesn't exist. Basic needs are met for all citizens. Universal housing tackles a fundamental societal problem, creating a stable foundation for individuals to thrive, contribute, and engage with their communities. It liberates human potential from the burdens of housing insecurity, fostering a healthier and more productive populace.
Real-world implications: Addressing homelessness isn't just a moral imperative; it has significant economic and social benefits. Studies show that providing stable housing can reduce healthcare costs, improve public safety, and boost educational outcomes. It's an investment in human capital that yields long-term dividends for society as a whole.
3. Free Higher Education: For the Pursuit of Knowledge
In the Star Trek universe, the pursuit of knowledge is a fundamental value, and education is not a privilege but a universal right. Starfleet Academy, for instance, trains the brightest minds regardless of their background or financial means.
What is free higher education? It's a system where tuition fees for colleges and universities are eliminated, making higher education accessible to all who qualify, regardless of their ability to pay. This can be achieved through public funding and government subsidies.
How does it align with Starfleet? The Federation thrives on intellectual curiosity, scientific advancement, and diverse expertise. Removing financial barriers to higher education would unleash a torrent of untapped potential. It would allow individuals to pursue fields they are passionate about, rather than being limited by economic considerations. This aligns perfectly with Starfleet's emphasis on lifelong learning, critical thinking, and the collective pursuit of scientific and philosophical understanding. A more educated populace is inherently more innovative, engaged, and capable of solving complex societal challenges.
Real-world implications: Countries like Germany, Norway, and Finland have successfully implemented free or highly subsidized higher education, demonstrating its feasibility and benefits. These benefits include reduced student debt, a more skilled workforce, increased social mobility, and greater participation in civic life. When education is a public good, rather than a commodity, it strengthens the entire fabric of society, leading to greater economic growth and a more informed citizenry.
4. Anti-Racism and Ending All "Isms": A United Humanity
One of Star Trek's most enduring and powerful messages is its depiction of a truly diverse and inclusive humanity, united in purpose. Racism, sexism, homophobia, and all other forms of prejudice are virtually non-existent in the Federation.
What does this entail? Achieving this means actively dismantling systemic biases and discrimination in all its forms. It requires policies that promote equity, inclusion, and justice across all sectors of society: law enforcement, education, healthcare, employment, and political representation. It means fostering a culture of empathy, understanding, and mutual respect, where differences are celebrated, not feared.
How does it align with Starfleet? Starfleet represents humanity's evolution beyond petty divisions. Its crews are multiracial, multi-gendered, and multi-cultural, working together seamlessly. This unity is a prerequisite for a society that can explore the stars and engage with diverse alien civilizations. A future free from "isms" means that every individual's potential is fully realized, not limited by archaic prejudices, allowing society as a whole to benefit from a broader spectrum of talents, perspectives, and ideas.
Real-world implications: While we've made progress, racism and other forms of discrimination persist globally. Moving towards a truly anti-racist and inclusive society requires ongoing, proactive effort. This includes comprehensive anti-discrimination laws, equitable resource allocation, education programs that promote diversity and critical thinking about prejudice, and the active challenging of hate speech and discriminatory practices. It's about ensuring that the American promise of "liberty and justice for all" truly applies to all.
5. Increased Funding for Space Research: Boldly Going Where No One Has Gone Before
Starfleet exists because humanity dedicated itself to exploring the cosmos. This boundless curiosity and commitment to scientific discovery is a defining characteristic of the Star Trek universe.
The Current Reality vs. Starfleet's Vision: Currently, national space agencies like NASA receive a relatively small percentage of government budgets (NASA's budget hovers around 0.5% of the federal budget, a stark contrast to the Apollo era's 4.5%). Imagine if that figure were significantly higher, mirroring the resource allocation seen in the Federation.
Why increase funding? Increased investment in space research isn't just about launching rockets. It drives innovation across countless industries, from materials science and robotics to medicine and environmental monitoring. The pursuit of space exploration inspires future generations of scientists and engineers, fosters international collaboration, and provides a unique perspective on our place in the universe. Many everyday technologies, from satellite communications to freeze-dried food, have roots in space programs.
How does it align with Starfleet? A robust and well-funded space program is the direct precursor to Starfleet. It signals a societal commitment to discovery, pushing the boundaries of human knowledge and opening up new frontiers for resource management, energy solutions, and understanding the universe.
6. Advancing AI Technology: Our Guiding Intelligence
From the USS Enterprise's computer to Data's positronic brain, advanced AI is integral to the Star Trek universe. It serves as a tool for problem-solving, a source of information, and even a moral compass.
Current AI vs. Starfleet's AI: Today's AI is rapidly advancing, with breakthroughs in machine learning, natural language processing, and robotics. However, we're still a long way from truly sentient or general AI like Data. The key lies in responsible development and ethical integration.
Why advance AI? AI holds immense potential to solve some of humanity's most pressing challenges, from disease diagnosis and climate change mitigation to optimizing resource allocation and improving education. By investing in ethical AI research and development, we can create systems that augment human capabilities, enhance decision-making, and automate repetitive tasks, freeing up human ingenuity for higher-level pursuits.
How does it align with Starfleet? Starfleet's reliance on advanced AI for navigation, diagnostics, and data analysis underscores its role as a force multiplier for exploration and progress. The key is ensuring that AI remains a servant to humanity's best interests, guided by ethical principles and designed to enhance, not replace, human creativity and empathy.
The Path Forward: A Call to Action
Creating a Star Trek future isn't about wishing for transporters; it's about making conscious policy choices that reflect the values of the Federation. Universal Basic Income, universal housing, free higher education, an end to all forms of prejudice, increased space research funding, and responsible AI development are not radical fantasies but pragmatic steps towards a more equitable, enlightened, and expansive future for all.
However, despite the incredible advancements in AI and our technological capabilities, we stand at a critical juncture. It often feels as though the current political landscape is pushing us further and further away from this Star Trek ideal. Policies are frequently enacted that deepen economic inequality, dismantle social safety nets, restrict access to education, and exacerbate divisions based on race, gender, and origin. Instead of investing in our collective future, resources are often diverted in ways that benefit a select few, leading us down a path towards an oligarchy rather than a truly democratic and equitable society.
We are at a tipping point. The promise of a Star Trek future, where human potential is unleashed and global challenges are met with collective ingenuity, is within our grasp. But this future will not simply arrive on its own. It requires conscious, concerted effort from all of us. We must become actively involved in shaping our political destiny, supporting and electing leaders who are committed to these visionary policies – policies that prioritize equality for all, invest in the common good, and truly believe in humanity's potential to achieve greatness. The choice is ours: will we allow ourselves to drift further into division and disparity, or will we unite and boldly usher in the future we've always dreamed of? The fate of our collective future rests on our shoulders.
The first step: Universal Basic Income
A leader in the movement: Rutger Bregman:
In an era where technological progress often outpaces moral development, and the specter of growing oppression looms large, the voices of visionaries like Rutger Bregman become not just important, but absolutely essential. Bregman, with his steadfast advocacy for radical, yet pragmatic, solutions like Universal Basic Income, exemplifies the kind of moral compass humanity needs to navigate away from deepening inequalities and towards a truly equitable future. His work serves as a powerful reminder that our advancements in AI and automation, while impressive, are meaningless without a foundational commitment to human dignity, shared prosperity, and the elimination of systemic injustices – the very principles that underpin the optimistic, inclusive vision of a Star Trek future.
Here are links to some of his work that has partly inspired this post:
Rutger Bregman is a prominent advocate for Universal Basic Income (UBI), and his most well-known work on the topic is his book, "Utopia for Realists: And How We Can Get There."
Here are some links and resources related to his work on UBI:
Books:
"Utopia for Realists: The Case for a Universal Basic Income, Open Borders, and a 15-hour Workweek"
Amazon Link (You can find various formats and editions here)
TED Talk:
"Poverty Isn't a Lack of Character; It's a Lack of Cash" (This is a very popular and accessible summary of his UBI arguments.)
You can easily find this on the TED website or YouTube by searching for "Rutger Bregman TED UBI."
Articles and Interviews:
Universal Basic Income (UBI) Video - Rutger Bregman: This appears to be a transcript of a video where Bregman discusses UBI.
Rutger Bregman: Is A Universal Basic Income The Answer To Ending Poverty? - NPR: An interview with Bregman about UBI.
Rutger Bregman on the Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN) website: This page compiles various articles and information related to Bregman's views on UBI.
"Utopia for Realists: Bregman's Better Future Is One of Basic Income" - GLOBIS Insights: An article discussing the themes of Utopia for Realists and UBI.
While his book "Humankind: A Hopeful History" touches on themes of human nature and societal organization that indirectly support the idea of UBI (by arguing that people are inherently good and trustworthy), "Utopia for Realists" is his primary work dedicated to making the case for UBI.
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