Comment Re:No (Score 1) 563
I think part of the problem here is that Star Trek is not a truly post scarcity society, but the Federation is a post monetary society. Things are kept purposefully murky, such as how the miners are rewarded for the work they are doing, but it seems that they join mining colonies and do things like that for adventure, not because they would starve otherwise or because prospects at home were so bad that they had to emigrate. Merchant ships also exist, even in the classic era, but even here it could be argued that Mudd and Cyrano Jones were in it for the thrill, not for the riches.
What I think Star Trek provides us with is a future where amassing material wealth is seen as slightly immature, as it no longer provides people with the one thing they want to buy most: influence and respect. Those are reserved for those seeking knowledge and adventure.