[ta1243]

Star Trek is a reflection of American society at the time.

Back in 1968 people were concerned about losing jobs to computers, just like they are today.

  MCCOY: Jim, we've all seen the advances of mechanisation. After all, Daystrom did design the computers that run this ship.
  KIRK: Under human control.
  MCCOY: We're all sorry for the other guy when he loses his job to a machine. When it comes to your job, that's different. And it always will be different.
  KIRK: Am I afraid of losing command to a computer? Daystrom's right. I can do a lot of other things. Am I afraid of losing the prestige and the power that goes with being a starship captain? Is that why I'm fighting it? Am I that petty?
  MCCOY: Jim, if you have the awareness to ask yourself that question, you don't need me to answer it for you. Why don't you ask James T. Kirk? He's a pretty honest guy.

[Apocryphon]

Player Piano, Kurt Vonnegut's first novel in 1952, and ironically his least overtly wry and sardonic satirical one, really captured the listless drudgery of a fully-automated future without frontiers to explore.

[antisthenes]

> Back in 1968 people were concerned about losing jobs to computers, just like they are today.

If you consider the notorious productivity vs wage graph, it makes sense.

People didn't lose their jobs, but the productivity gains from computers and automation didn't go to them either.