Star Trek: a future filled with Warp Drives but void of Roombas (video).

In the odd tapestry of science fiction, Star Trek stands out like a sore, albeit a beloved, thumb, reckons Rowan J Coleman as he examines the tech of Trek. It’s a universe where you can teleport across light-years, tinker with the fabric of reality, and even argue philosophy with god-like entities. Yet, despite all this futuristic flair, if you’ve ever stopped to really look around the starship Enterprise, you might find yourself thinking, “Is this it?”

Now, before the Trekkies assemble with pitchforks and phasers, let’s explore this peculiar anachronism, shall we? Featured in your favorite speculative sanctuary, SFcrowsnest, this musing aims to tickle your fancy and maybe rustle some feathers—metaphorically speaking, of course.

First off, where are all the robots? Not the charming, ‘I’m learning to love!’ type like Data, but the vacuum-your-room and file-your-taxes kind. You’d think that in a world where you can chat up a computer and have it materialize Earl Grey tea out of thin air, someone would’ve invented a Roomba. But no, the hallways of Enterprise are conspicuously devoid of any autonomous cleaning droids, making one wonder if there’s a hidden army of janitors we’re never shown.

And then there’s the whole automation debacle. In other sci-fi realms, you can’t throw a rock without hitting a self-piloting ship or a self-cooking meal. Yet, in Star Trek, they’ve held on to their pilots and chefs with a nostalgic grip that would make a Luddite blush. Perhaps there’s a charm in manually steering a starship through the cosmos or seasoning a real, not replicated, stew.

Now, onto the more philosophical quandaries, such as the curious case of Data. He’s essentially a walking, talking plea for humanity in a tin can, constantly nudging us to question, “What does it mean to be human?” It’s as if Star Trek whispers, “Beware, dear viewers, lest you lose your humanity amidst the stars.” A poignant reminder, or perhaps a tad melodramatic?

And who could forget the Borg? The cybernetic boogeymen of the Star Trek universe serve as a stark warning against the perils of too much tech. They’re what happens when you take the idea of “networking” a little too literally. In a way, the Borg embody the ultimate anti-technology cautionary tale: lose your individuality and get turned into a space-faring zombie. Scary, but it does make one ponder the price of unbridled technological integration.

So, is Star Trek just a bunch of space-faring romantics, clinging to their humanity in a galaxy of possibilities? Perhaps. But one thing’s for sure: in its own quirky, anachronistic way, it forces us to reflect on our relationship with technology, all while boldly going where no one has gone before. And isn’t that the heart of great science fiction? Even if it means keeping the rustic charm of manual labor amidst the stars, Star Trek ensures we never forget the human (or Vulcan, or Klingon) spirit in the face of the great digital unknown.