Reading the comments here, then most of the article itself, I couldn't help thinking "so what?" I like the older Trek and it was clearly impressively ahead of its time, but the new ones (despite the fact that I really enjoyed the reboot, at least the first film) aren't intended to be anything more than action movies with reheated characters.

On finishing the article... I'm closer to siding with the author. I don't know if it's the rational-rather-than-nostalgic way it's written or what, but it does make me feel like we're selling ourselves short, and it definitely wakens an old question: What might the future look like, if it changes as much as we've seen things change since that venerable original series?

I don't think looking to the tech industry is fair; that is and always has been about business. But Hollywood is sticking to the safe franchises even more than they ever have with the advent of comic book movies (another thing I've enjoyed some of, but they've been done to death several times over). There have been some really good science fiction series in the last decade, but in the vein of this article, I can't really think of any that really pushed the envelope in terms of futurism with technology.

I actually find this a bit more inspiring than morbid, though. What could be coming? Childlike wonder, here I come! :)