Star Wars or Star Trek?

This may not be a purely technical question, but it seems that many people in tech are inspired by science fiction. I am by all means a science fiction fan. I started thinking of all the movies that techies enjoy and many come to mind, at least for those my age. The two most important seems to be Star Wars and Star Trek, which also got me thinking, Star Wars or Star Trek? There seems to be a division, or at least was at one point, between fans of each. I remember the Conan O’Brien skit where someone dressed like Spok went to a Star Wars convention and antagonized the attendees. Personally, it is OK to like both, but I remember people being “Trekkies” and people being hard core Star Wars fans. It seems the money now a days lies with Star Wars fans given the movies and theme parks these days, but do tastes change?

As a young person, I was obsessed with Star Wars. I actually remember as a child seeing Return of the Jedi as a little boy with my mom. I was five years old at the time, and I still remember being in the movie theater and getting my first Kenner Star Wars toy. When the movies were released on VHS, and later remastered on VHS, I purchased both sets and watched them religiously. When Episodes 1, 2, and 3 came to the theater I saw them on opening nights, and yes, pretended like they were awesome, despite secretly admitting they were not. I bled with other fans while I watched Disney snatch up the franchise and pump out an entirely new trilogy, which seemed reductive and boring, but I kept the faith and saw all of them and own their digital copies.

But now, I watch a lot of Star Trek. I am working through the third season of TNG and the first season of DS9. When I was a kid I liked the characters of TNG, but I ultimately didn’t care for the “monster of the week” approach. Now, that’s a little different. TNG especially is dramatically intense. The characters are interesting. I now see Data, La Forge, Picard, and Riker in a new light.  The relationships with alien species, the freedom of humanity to travel the stars, an unlimited resource future.

Luckily all of this can be streamed on Paramount Plus, and since I am watching some of this for the first time, enjoyed as if they were new.