Even if the universe was teaming with life, would it be obviously so?

Cixin Liu’s cosmic sociology suggests that we haven’t observed anything because they don’t want to be observed. It’s based on two premises:

“First: Survival is the primary need of civilisation. Second: Civilisation continuously grows and expands, but the total matter in the universe remains constant.”

If that’s the case, then it’s possible that from the fear that there’s someone more aggressive and more powerful out there, that all (still living) civilisations have become shut-ins.

It’s quite a scary theory and maybe SETI is not such a wonderful thing, but the greatest humanitarian crime in the history of mankind.

You can read more here.