Maybe interstellar colonization is just never gonna be worth it?
We could already colonize Antarctica, or the sea-- those are easier to reach, supply and colonize than other planets, but we are not trying.
Most of our past exploration/settling efforts happened because there was some gain to be had; it seems quite plausible (if somewhat bleak) to me that interstellar travel could just remain pointlessly expensive regardless of technological progress.
We could already colonize Antarctica, or the sea-- those are easier to reach, supply and colonize than other planets, but we are not trying.
Most of our past exploration/settling efforts happened because there was some gain to be had; it seems quite plausible (if somewhat bleak) to me that interstellar travel could just remain pointlessly expensive regardless of technological progress.