You state that both Star Trek and The Matrix are part of a campaign of soft disclosure. But Star Trek is overall "progressive" (or at least used to be, I am informed up to the point of Enterprise with Scott Bakula) and despite some psychic shenigans like Spock's mindmeld or the holo deck, usually goes to explore outer space and "the outside world". Star Trek sees the world as real, good, and explorable by scientific methods. Matrix, on the other hand, is cyberpunk. Cyberpunk is usually set on Earth, in apocalyptic overcrowded cities. It views the world as unreal and not explorable by the senses or science (because sensory perceptions are not considered trustworthy). The two concepts are totally different, the two "fandoms" really have nothing in common except that they are both works of science fiction.
Interesting!
Many thanks for your reply!
This is how I see it:
I think The Matrix films deals with how things are
inside The Simulation at
present - which is an illusion that causes a state of ignorance, a thing we are
trapped in - a place of confinement, separated from the real world
And that Star Trek is all about the
outside world that we will know in the
future - which is not an illusion and can be studied, known and controlled - a place where we can be free and explore and be real -
to boldly go! - a place of adventure and discovery
I see the process of Disclosure as having two dimensions:
1) - identifying the present and inside world with The Matrix (a technological dystopia - tech controlling us)
2) - identifying the future and outside world with Star Trek (a technological utopia - us controlling tech)
I think the overall message of disclosure is "the present is like The Matrix but once disclosure happens it will be like in Star Trek" - a narrative of transition that people can understand thanks to exposure to these two franhceies which, as you rightly say, are very different and have different fandoms - but that nonetheless have both managed to penetrate the popular imagination