We Are Firmly More Star Wars Than We are Star Trek

Among my earliest memories as an idealist member of Generation X I have held some quiet hope in the back of my mind and maybe even heart for global unity. Unity that would lead somewhere, that would make breakthroughs in innovation, that would make diversity a must... that would boldly go where no one had gone before.

I blame Star Trek.

Around the Shradar home Star Trek was a fixture. We weren't the weird kind of trekkies but we watched all the movies and Saturday family time was around the tube watching Star Trek Next Generation. I even had an inclination to save the whales after the over-politicized Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. It was a world transformed by scientific advancement and the elimination of borders. It was the global, no universal, utopia. The Federation represented where we could head in the future. Diverse people and lifeforms serving together for the greater good.

Maybe it gave me a taste of what life could be like as a global citizens where nationalism was a thing of the past. But as I inch closer to 40 and watch, often with bewilderment, the unfolding political realities in the U.S. and across the globe (thank you UK for doing your best to ruin our retirement accounts) I realize we are not Star Trek and I have lost hope that we can be.

Instead we are Star Wars. Where there once was a grand republic, nefarious characters have convinced worlds to reject the idea - because after all the bureaucrats are really in control - and stick with their own kind. The separatists play into the dark plans of the powerful and what eventually results is a wicked kind of tyranny set to remove any remembrance of what could have been from the memories of those that remain.

Borders are built into walls, races war against one another, and secure global economies are left in ruins. Every time we have a new Jedi we think can save us they end up going to the dark side (yeah I am talking to you Marco Rubio...) and we are left either to put a First Order bumper sticker on our car or face deportation.

I want us to be Star Trek. But the easily-convinced-masses we are have chosen to be Star Wars instead. This is why I find it so difficult to vote when my choices are Darth Sidious or Darth Vader. Perhaps we will have a third party candidate like Count Dooku, but he would probably just lose his head.

Maybe it is all just waste. Maybe nationalism and separation are the way of things and we should just get along. Maybe we should just find the silver linings and praise those that regain sovereignty for themselves. Either way I am thankful we can still have hope in the returning king of the universe who will once for all eliminate borders and remove our hate for the other. Let us put our hopes in this future in Jesus.

Brexit today, hopefully Texit tomorrow. Live long and prosper friends.