Gene had a vision of a future, one that truly is unlikely and, from a standpoint of creating storytelling drama, difficult and unwieldy.
But let's be clear. He had a vision.
These days, no one has a vision, and I'm talking about the same no one's that create films and TV shows. Instead of visions, we have more obscure comic books or 80's property to plunder (and, being an 80's kid, I love some of them. I'll see any film with Optimus Prime in it). and these same no one's have release dates and target demographics to think about. Sometimes, to compensate for a lack of vision, they'll over-do, and attach too much vision to one project, stuffing in as much profound gobbedly-gook it, as much half-baked philosophy, and a clear polish and sheen as they can muster, so at least we can point to one or two projects a year and declare them as "visionary".
Gene's vision was different. He really believed that mankind is a much better species then it gives itself credit for, and that we are really above the many petty things that drag us down today. Sure, he created Trek to make in the business, but he really wanted an avenue to tell stories that incorporate this vision as a backdrop. Keep note, too, that this vision was there regardless of how little money he had. His vision didn't require phyisics defying karate, or men and women flying about. It was a vision of ideas, of what mankind is really made of.
Sure, vision is not enough. Other people, like Coon and Fontana and Gerrold, reigned in his vision, and offered elements that made the every-day drama more interesting. They fleshed out the universe. But I think the greatest things they did with it came later. One was challenging the hero characters with the realization of their fallabilities and their own mortality, which is why many of the films in the 80's and 90's were so good, and then they challenged the vision itself, by stating what must be done to preserve a perfect society, and then asking what values must be given up for the sake of its preservation.
Now, I fear that Trek has become a product like everything else. The thing is people tell me it always was. I can only hope that there is still some honesty left within it.
