Possibly. Science fiction is gaining a foothold in academics, and has become much more appreciated in literary circles. We've gone from being a culture that judges ourselves by the past, and is very backwards looking, to one that judges itself by what the future will think, and is very forwards looking. In many ways aliens have taken the place of gods and angels. Science fiction is an important artistic symptom of this change; perhaps people 200 years from now will be studying Star Trek at school!