It's definitely different in the sense that the required automation, solar panel, and reusable rocket technology for bringing those dreams into reality are no l

It's definitely different in the sense that the required automation, solar panel, and reusable rocket technology for bringing those dreams into reality are no longer science-fiction but a mixture of both current and near term technologies. The vastly expanded knowledge of the solar system since the 70's also means we can actually make informed estimates of economic value of the planets and asteroids out there. For me it's now a non-brainer that we will be an interplanetary civilisation before the end of this century - even if realistically the overwhelming majority of humanity will still likely live in or around Earth for at least another millennium - barring some major mass extinction level natural or artificial cataclysm (note that even fairly pessimistic projections for climate change do not meet this criteria).