If you're like me and grew up with Star Trek The Next Generation you're excited to see the show Picard in order to revisit all of the themes and characters that shaped your early years and perhaps your relationship to computers and technology. One of the things I hadn't considered when waiting for Picard to come out is how much technology has changed since Next Generation was in production between 1987 and 1994.
Without giving any spoilers its safe to say the new show Picard on the surface supposed to be reflecting deeply about the relationship between Picard's Borg past and conflicted relationship with androids and his old friendship with android Data. These themes Star Trek has delved deeply into before, with Data's exploration into what it means to be human and his advanced programming allowing him the ability to question his consciousness and in turn has human question the blurred lines of technology and their own consciousness.
Data in the Next Generation questioning "what is humour" and trying to make jokes, and failing spectacularly, as a sub plot of whatever was happening in the episode reflects on the programming of Alexa. Siri and Google home in current times. That and questions of how we speak to Alexa, Siri and Google home and if we should be polite to them was also explored with Data over whether or not a relational machine has 'feelings' or if that is even important to the programming or just a human quirk. These were questions constantly being asked in the Next Generation and has the potential to be explored more deeply as well as the many other questions that we have with new technology in the show Picard. The relationship between Humans, the Borg and androids in Star Trek has always been, lets say... tense but the show seems to be missing an opportunity to examine what makes us more similar than different to each other
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Integrative technology and wearable tech have always been a mainstay in the Star Trek universe and with the advances of communication and connectivity and transportation our world today is looking more like Star Trek than ever. The technology in Star Trek is ubiquitous and a 'given' and Picard seems to be focusing more on the interpersonal relationships and politics between the characters rather than delving deeper into any of the potential sub plots that could exist along side the dramatic reunion show. Themes which could be explored that would be highly relevant to our current tipping point in tech would be:
The blurred lines between what is human/Borg/android
In this current time with key cards, Fitbits, Bluetooth and smart-homes talking to smart-phones the Borg can feel more relatable to the humans in Star Trek right now. With implants and medical tech advancing by leaps and bounds it seems like it would be more interesting to position the Borg as more than just an adversary to the humans but perhaps question where is the line between becoming the hivemind assimilated cyborg and having your own unique thoughts as a human? As Facebook takes over every aspect of online activities with questions popping up in every login online "would you like to log in with Facebook?" perhaps the statement on the screen should actually be "You shall be assimilated". As movement online becomes more restricted by companies in control of the platforms questions of "what is free thought?" and "would we trade freedom for efficiency?" Picard has huge potential to begin asking those questions of our own society as we deal with some of the same struggles.
Though I see some of the connections to Borg and androids being analyzed in Picard, humans seem to be left out of the conversation as a well established 'given' rather than an exploration into how much tech is too much tech? When does using a computer become a computer using you?
Security
As we spend more of our time sharing and creating information one of the biggest technological problems in this day and age is security. Star Trek with their utopian technological systems seems to be focusing on cool looking but very ergonomically unsound HUD systems. There are no nods to even the most mundane security protocol except for the well established tropes already in place for Star Trek communications. Even in our earliest of internet times we are being asked to prove constantly that we are 'not a robot' and it would be enlightening to see what the imagined future would believe security protocols would look like in a world where cyborgs and androids are an irrefutable truth. A sub plot where Picard constantly fails retinal scans to prove he is who he says he is because he once was assimilated into the Borg and Star Trek universe technology has problems with Borg survivors or some similar small annoyance with security would be an interesting addition to the technology embedded in the adventure. For example, when Batman in the movie Batman Returns has problems with his technology or flicking the button and the Batmobile not responding, it makes the character more relatable while the constantly perfect working technology in Picard is a touch alienating.
Established system updates
Nothing is more well established than Starfleet but their systems would have had to have had an update at some point to be sure. With antimatter providing unlimited power for coms and transporters and thrusters, the coding of all the systems is still being written by humans and would need systematic updates. That being said there are always back doors and 'hackers' who want to exploit the weakness in any system. Though it seems that Starfleet has infiltrated and found the weakness in the Borg it would be interesting to see Starfleet's weaknesses that reflect the security issues we are facing today with our own established systems within government, military and the security attacks of those who think outside the box.
Star Trek is an opportunity to pose questions about the technology of the perceivable future as well as the upcoming technology of today. Many of the questions that we are currently facing with technology from our own 'Borg like' challenges in wearable tech to our android programming with our personal assistants. These challenges and technological opportunities are not being addressed within this show at this time, even in the subplot, subtle ways that made Star Trek the Next Generation such a thought provoking show. There is still time for Picard to explore the blurred lines of wearable and integrative tech within the show, as well as the security and systems risks within the technology of the future. The questions that the show may pose and how they might relate to our own reality in our current day as technology advances faster than the speed of light and as we deal with our own versions of cyborgs and androids we ask what would we give up our own humanity for in order to be assimilated?
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