Originally Posted by
DrNewGod
I get the point you articulate, but I'd submit that a characterization where The Federation is a facade stretched a cross a bleak, rotted reality is not Star Trek. It's a neat premise, a wonderful comment on American history, and makes for great sci-fi.
However, ST was intended to be set in a future where our better angels had the upper hand, even if they hadn't completely won the day. Roddenberry took it too far, especially in the early seasons of TNG, but the underlying vision of hope is ST's core.
I sometimes feel like creators that want to present this more cynical interpretation of Trek are like those comicbook writers that want to write superheroes, but go overboard trying to prove they're not writing kid's stuff.