There is only one purpose to space exploration and that is exploitation. Seeking out new life and new civilizations while going boldly and splitting infinitives is a fool's errand. First and foremost the human question of "Are we alone?" is simply a way of asking "Are there any more like us?" We're not talking about silicate creatures which magentosynthesize in the depths of the planet's mantle, it's about more meaty vertebrates with bilateral symmetry that may or may not want to fuck or fight human beings.
Soon lebensraum will be upon our world and all available resources will be stretched beyond the breaking point. The logical conclusion would be birth lottery or points, forced sterilization or actually indoctrinating humans into the philosophy of zero population growth. The sad thing about humanity is that humans believe it's their right by virtue of drawing breath to fuck and suck with the sole purpose of producing more humans. Even worse, most humans are reticent to enforce such a doctrine upon their fellow human. So it's time to get off this planet and get to another planet where they can get off again and promulgate "Think of the childrunnnnnn".
Finally civilization is getting old. Everyone's still attempting to emulate the Romans without the outlet of conque^H^H^H^H^H^H pacifying faraway lands, homogenizing those citizens and enlisting them as new soldiers under the auspice of "You can help us protect you!" Rinse, lather and repeat ad infinitum. Hell, find a new world each for China and India and offer every one of their citizens free passage to the new world.
