I loved those novels. I think the thing that gets lost is that we usually imagine aliens as only incrementally more advance than us - like comparing an aircraf

I loved those novels. I think the thing that gets lost is that we usually imagine aliens as only incrementally more advance than us - like comparing an aircraft carrier to a Viking longboat. I think a species capable of interstellar travel is going to have a much greater technological advantage over us. So much so that we won't even look at the same things as resources. Our biggest ideas like Dyson spheres and space elevators are concepts based on an early 20th century way of looking at things. What's a civilization that can manipulate matter like energy (i.e. "matter" lasers) on a routine level or has advanced forms of nanotechnology or picotechnology capable of? I have no idea. If we start noticing stars vanishing because they're tapping them for energy, then I'll worry. Otherwise I don't think our rock is worth much other than entertainment value.