June 2025

Speculative fiction, at its core, explores what could be: it demonstrates that the world we have is not the only possible one, and that other possibilities and ways of thinking can be imagined in a grounded and honest way. That does not mean the genre should only exist as a vehicle for planning ideal societies, and it certainly does not mean stories should depict a perfect world without any problems. Still, the genre at its best expresses a discontent with the mundane and conventional, instead holding daring ideas and scenarios to the light of intelligent, nuanced analysis. This month’s essay discusses Star Trek and its enduring utopian imagination. Our story and poem for the month, though not as utopian, are as exhilarating and curious, seeking out new frontiers and contemplating new ways of existing and being in the world.