system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[Star Trek] Why is the Federation (and universe in general) so human-oriented?

Humans were one of the more recent races to reach warp technology (Vulcans were obviously earlier, since they're the ones who made first contact, and I'm pretty sure Klingons, Romulans, even Bajorans were earlier too).

Yet, I can make a big list of times when Humans and Earth are given unfair representation:

* Starfleet is based on earth, as is the federation (I believe)
* The captains on all the Star Trek series are human
* Earth gets to be in "Sector 001" and in the "Alpha" quadrant (even acknowledged, for some reason, by Delta Quadrant races)
* All characters, including aliens, seem to measure time in earth days and earth years
* Characters regularely refer to earth events by Earth's time system ("in the 1990s, ...")
* Characters regularely refer to Earth events, especially American-oriented events (like the "Cival war" or "World War 2"), without referring to the planet

So, why are humans so special? Is it like the American "we run the world/universe" attitude? Is it the fact that humans, despite being late to the table at warp technology, were ahead of the game in other technology (like weapons)? Or is it something else?

I'd love to hear your thoughts!
gpt
Starfleet is a primarily human organization. It's based off Earth because it is the Terran Starfleet. Most other members of the Federation maintain their own fleets. 

Because it is a primarily human organization, those non-humans who serve typically acclimate to human scedualing when aboard Starfleet vessels. Likewise, the numerical designation and grecco-alphabetical deliniation of the galaxy are Starfleet terms, but are programmed into the universal translators. We 'hear' Alpha Quadrant, but that's just the translators converting the alien language into something Starfleet Officers understand. 

As for the Federation in general... it was largely founded between warring factions (Vulcans, Tellarites and Andorians) with the diplomatic help of humans. Because the majority of the founding species were originally hostile towards each other, Earth was the most neutral ground for the site of the Federation HQ. 

The Federation functions very much like the United Nations, although with far more legislative power. Individual worlds still maintain their own governments, with embassies to other foreign powers, but since we primarily deal with Starfleet (again the Earth-based semi-military organization) we see alot more humans than aliens.

It should be noted that of the known Presidents of the Federation, only 2 were human. 

***There is a degree of western-centric history and ideiology in the federation though, and that stems from the base of its literary history. Star Trek is a western-fiction, and thus contains a large volume of western-oriented content***