18th March 2010, 5:12 PM
It's been perpetuated, for decades, by people with awfully stunted visions of the future. The real future is going to be vastly more compelling.
If you think Trek is guilty of this, consider Star Wars' timeline.
Star Wars Chronology
It spans tens of thousands of years and as far as I can tell, nothing has much developed. They have huge galactic wars with hyperspace-capable capital ships, they have lightsabers and androids all throughout the whole thing... and yet technological development seems to be totally arrested.
If you think Trek is guilty of this, consider Star Wars' timeline.
Star Wars Chronology
It spans tens of thousands of years and as far as I can tell, nothing has much developed. They have huge galactic wars with hyperspace-capable capital ships, they have lightsabers and androids all throughout the whole thing... and yet technological development seems to be totally arrested.
H.R.M. DARVNIVS MAXIMVS EX TENEBRIS EXIT REX DEVSQVE GORONORVMQVE TENDORVM ROMANORVM ET GRÆCORVM OMNIS SEMPER EST