The appeal of science fiction, I think, lies in its total lack of resemblance to real daily life.  That is part of what draws me to Star Trek--it offers me an opportunity to escape for a while.  One could draw many conclusions about me, and all the other 10 million or so Trekkies, from that fact  alone.
     But of course there are many different kinds of science fiction, and many distinct sagas, and I am only a fan of one--Star Trek, which I watch to the exclusion of all other TV shows.  To the casual observer, Star Trek is probably the sissiest of all sci-fi because it's not about humor or violence or sex (though disturbingly it has adopted some [nothing graphic] of the latter two in recent years, with equally disturbing, and in my opinion, disgusting, success).  On the surface, it can often seem extraordinarily bland.
     Star Trek, to be quite plain, is everything that humanity aspires to be, either consciously or unconsciously.  My class on the Third World has made the whole idea behind Star Trek--a future world in which humanity has eradicated war, racism, and poverty, and can actually spend time exploring the world--all the more significant.  That people balk at Star Trek is merely a sign of the cynicism of our times.
     Earthlings have been mucking around, living uncertain, distracted, desperate lives for thousands of years.  We have grown, yes, but often not in good ways.  Most of all, humanity has suffered.  I personally believe that humans are essentially good-natured, and we saw some evidence for this in the response to the attacks on September 11.  It is the natural inequality of the world that has done horrible things to us--it has made us hateful, angry, disillusioned, and dishonest.  In the greatest  injustice of all, we have been held back from our full potential.
     Star Trek has always been more than some exotic TV show for the nerds and losers of society.  Star Trek, on its most profound level, is about the ultimate triumph of the human race over the challenges of a sick reality.