I Wanna Be a Space Trucker
Updated: Dec 20, 2024
The crew of the commercial towing vehicle USCSS Nostromo in the 1979 science fiction horror movie, Alien, were characterized as "space truckers." While I wouldn't relish the prospect of being stalked and killed by a horrific alien monster, being a crew member of a starship in the movie's science fiction setting of the 22nd century might have some benefits over being a mere truck driver of an 18-wheeler here in the 21st century.
One possible benefit would be the opportunity to experience the magnificence and the wonders of space, although in the Alien franchise space is clearly a hostile environment and the blue-collar crews live and work in dingy, gritty, spartan, well-worn environments far removed from the glistening, warm, welcoming yet almost sterile starships that are the staples in futuristic settings like those portrayed in the Star Trek franchise. Of course, it can reasonably be argued that your fellow human beings and corporate greed pose a greater danger to you in the Alien universe than the signature xenomorphs or the less-than-plush environment.
You know, Burke, I don't know which species is worse. You don't see them fucking each other over for a goddamn percentage. -- Sigourney Weaver as Lieutenant Ellen Ridley in Aliens
Another possible benefit of living and working as a "space trucker" in the Alien universe would be the opportunity to spend a good chunk of my time away from family, friends, and home in cryogenic sleep/stasis/suspended animation. My schedule can be positively brutal. A good bit of my time at home is spent sleeping and getting ready for my return to work. Being able to spend much of my time away from family, friends, and home in cryogenic sleep/stasis/suspended animation wouldn't change the fact that I am sometimes removed from the daily lives of those for whom I care, but it would at least slow the inevitable aging that happens to us all (of course, the people that I would be leaving behind would continue to age in my absence). And being paid to dream would be kind of nice. I would just have to make sure that I contract to get a full share of the profits for my labors and not just a half-share like Parker and Brett did. 😉
The frontier world of the Alien franchise is certainly a harsh, remorseless place for the blue-collar workers that work there. And aside from the recent sightings of cougars here in the Midwest, I don't give any thought to being pounced upon at work by something higher up the food chain in my current job. But it is still kind of fun to ponder what it would be like to trade my day-to-day work driving a tractor-trailer for a berth and a job on a futuristic starship towing a refinery to another port in a distant star system.
Below are a couple of links for your enjoyment. The first link is to an article and an accompanying video on the costuming that established the characters of Alien as blue-collar workers. The second link is to the rock tune, "Space Truckin'" by Deep Purple.
Space truckers: Inside the blue-collar costume design of 'Alien'
"Space Truckin'" (Deep Purple)
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