A poll on Mastodon: what’s the overlap between fans of Star Trek and fans of the sci fi genre of solarpunk?
I think it depends. Overall, I think most of Star Trek isn’t solarpunk, but the version of earth depicted in it very much is.
I generally agree, although the use of replicators is a point of departure.
Solarpunk typically emphasizes degrowth and an end to scarcity that comes from a move away from endless consumption.
It’s not a criticism. Just an artistic difference responding to the 60s vs the new century.
trek is pretty posadist isn’t it? where solarpunk would rather not go there?
I had no idea what Posadism was until you mentioned it. Looking at it, I think elements of it are coincidentally in there, but I don’t think that’s totally what it’s trying to convey.
For one, Boseman, Montana definitely didn’t look that socialist, and yet Cochrane developed a warp drive; it was the new connections and widened view of the galaxy that facilitated the development of socialism. Sure, the Vulcans helped, but it was humans who had to change.
Also, I feel like “aliens helping in revolution” is sort of antithetical to the concept of the Prime Directive.
Overall, I think Star Trek is less about through ufologic socialism and more about peoples figuring out socialism for themselves; space and aliens are mostly just a plot device to explore.
I would also say that in general, Star Trek seems to steer slightly around discussing the actions needed to proactively achieve their society. It’s an end point, and you can find some info here and there about how they got there, but it’s really treated as the result of a magical tech breakthrough that resolved class conflict with the wave of a hand.
Anyway, solarpunk and Trek are definitely fellow travelers. But their tones aren’t identical.
I would appreciate an explanation as to what solarpunk is.
I liked this video on it. Basically, a play on the ideas of cyberpunk, but rather than using grim art as a warning, it instead focuses on radical optimism and envisioning a world we should strive to create. Building off the the ideas of renewable power, hence the solar, it posits that technology used in the right way can bring us to a beautiful and healthy society, freed from the capitalist systems that are poisoning our environment and selves.
Ya I’ll have some of that please.
If you haven’t already come across them, you should check out some of the communities over on https://slrpnk.net/, we’ve got stuff from urban development and farming to transport, tech, and aesthetics :)
Isn’t the Venn diagram a circle?
That was my thought as well.
I think you replied to yourself…
It’s not quite: a key feature of solarpunk is nature, and our relationship to it. Trek is definitely aligned in concept, but aside from specific episodes, our relationship with nature is not a central theme.
Solarpunk is also usually closer to the present or more direct in its critique of current challenges like climate breakdown.
Thatsthejoke.jpg
Oh. They’re different servers! That’s actually a very clever joke. I’m sorry I didn’t pay close enough attention to appreciate it.
That got a chuckle out of me. Heh.
All good, I know many front ends hide the instance for local users by default. I went to .world to get a screenshot with both instance names in them lol.
Oh, you’re right. On my desktop it shows up, but I originally replied on mobile. That explains it.
I think the realities of physics will make true interstellar travel hopeless, so to me solar punk as an aesthetic is the more real idea of humanities possible utopia, should one ever exist. With that, I think it also pretty strongly ties the art with action. These facts giving a more grounding for praxis than start trek.
