> always going to be something threatening us even if it's mainly ourselves

It's always "ourselves". We as a race are our primary enemy and your desire not to see the problems we create for ourselves here and now makes you exactly the reason we will suffer. I used to fear human extinction, now I'm resigned to it.

> It's much easier to be an "escapist" by dabbling in distractions on earth than it is by building rockets or working on the science to make life possible on Mars!

Yep, I'm resigned to it.