SETI again

In the Drake equation, L ( I think) is the value for how long the
average civ lasts before dying out or lapsing into irrelevance. It
has been calculated that at 200,000 years for L, the galaxy would be
overrun with aliens.

Just because a civ exists, doesn't mean it is actively exploring. All
civs stagnate only to be reborn again in a new rejuvenated form
later. Western civilization didn't just appear out of thin air. It is
the continuation of a long line of older, worn out civs. It is highly
possible that civs that began exploring space soon ran into
insurmountable problems and bankrupted themselves trying to overcome
them. They might then withdraw, perhaps by choice, perhaps not. The
new colonies might sit in a dark age for a few hundred or a few
thousand years before picking up where the mother planet stopped. The
process of colonizing the galaxy doesn't have to be done all at once.
In fact I doubt any civ would be able to maintain that level of
activity for such a long time. Problems would inevitably arise at
home that would divert their attention, and the colonies would go
their own ways. Communication and travel difficulties would make many
of the colonies become isolated for a time once support from the
mother planet fizzled out. Technological progress might continue on
the Mother Planet, but at a slower pace than during their golden age.
But communications networks that have been allowed to deteriorate
would prevent some of the colonies from learning of many of the
latest technologies. Since each species is only adapted for one
planet, the abandoned colonies would likely have to take a pause of
perhaps hundreds or even thousands of years figuring out how to
survive/thrive on their new world without support. It's possible that
civs usually cease looking to expand once they realize how difficult
it is, or once they find a good system within reach that can support
their needs for millions of years. It's also possible that most
colonies fail to achieve a minimum threshold of energy needed to
continue colonization.

There are lots of reasons why colonizing other stars may be very
difficult, And the colonies need not be as technologically advanced
as their founders were. (look at Charlemagne's Empire compared to
late Republican Rome) Being cut off from needed supplies can render
long used technologies useless.

I think we are a long way off from colonizing the stars, if we even
last that long.

Step 1 is to colonize this solar system.

There's PLENTY of room here.

doug