A new Star Trek meme has users pairing the copypasta “I still believe in Gene Roddenberry’s vision for the future” with out-of-context, often ridiculous moments from the franchise. The meme playfully contrasts Roddenberry’s idealistic vision of a utopian future—one built on progress and cooperation—with the more questionable scenes from various Star Trek series.
The meme is a tongue-in-cheek nod to the gap between Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry’s aspirational themes, and the chaotic reality of the show’s storytelling. While Roddenberry imagined a future free of conflict and prejudice, Star Trek fans know the series has no shortage of absurd and contradictory moments.
The “I still believe in Gene Roddenberry’s vision for the future” copypasta, which originated on BlueSky in February 2025, captures this contrast using screencaps from Star Trek to humorously highlight the disconnect between the franchise’s lofty ideals and its sometimes questionable execution.
Meme basics
- Meme/trend creator: @nukethestars.bsky.social on BlueSky
- Meme type: copypasta
- First appearance: Feb. 23, 2025
- Origin source: BlueSky
- Used to convey: A tongue-in-cheek joke about how Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry had a specific utopia vision of what the future would be like.
- Peak popularity: end of Feb. 2025
What was Gene Roddenberry’s vision of the future?
Gene Roddenberry was the visionary creator of Star Trek who imagined a future where humanity transcends its limitations, embracing unity, exploration, and hope. Roddenberry’s portrayal of a utopian future, where diverse species coexist harmoniously, has always been a cornerstone of Star Trek‘s appeal.
The screenwriter once said, “I believe in humanity. We are an incredible species. We’re still just a child creature, we’re still being nasty to each other. And all children go through those phases. We’re growing up, we’re moving into adolescence now. When we grow up — man, we’re going to be something!”
However, as Star Trek evolved, some argue that certain adaptations have strayed from Roddenberry’s original vision, per ScreenRant. IndieWire points out that “Roddenberry’s vision of the future was one of optimism and inclusivity,” and that deviations from this concept in newer series have sparked disagreement among fans.
This discourse is often encapsulated in the critique that modern adaptations do not align with the franchise’s foundational principles, which ignores the fact that even Roddenberry’s vision of the future and the ideals of the Star Trek franchise shifted over time as well.
“Almost 60 years on, in increasingly polarized times, Gene Roddenberry’s vision of a future that’s free of poverty, hunger, and racism is still a shining beacon of hope,” writes ScreenRant.
Origin and spread
The meme was started on BlueSky by Steven Gill (@nukethestars.bsky.social) on Feb. 23, 2025. His post has over 117 likes and 19 reposts, with folks on BlueSky quote-posting in a chain, making the meme format spread widely beyond Gill’s audience. In the image OP posted, Lieutenant Tash Yar is talking to Wesley Crusher, saying, “You have to understand, drugs can make you feel good.” on an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
While the majority of folks taking part in the meme have used screencaps from the Star Trek franchise, others have branched out to include other shows and movies, such as Riff Raff and Magenta from the cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Fred Kwan and the alien Laliari from Galaxy Quest.
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