Yes there is. Statistically speaking, the likelihood that the nearest 100 alien races are roughly at the same species/technology age is incredibly low. We are only a few hundred years past the invention of printed books. We are only about 100 years past reliable flight (airplane) technology. General purpose computers - less than 60 years.

It is far more likely (far more) that if a nearby alien race developed such technologies as well, they did so more than 100,000 years ago. Consider how our technology has changed in the last thousand years. Now imagine that interval extended another 99 times. In 100,000 years I expect we have computers built into our heads with the ability to access all known information as if we already know it, we'll have lifespans measuring 10,000 years or more, and the ability to harness incredible energies will be trivial. In such cases, space travel becomes pretty easy.

In fact, I suppose that if I was already alive for 5,000 years, I might think it would be a nice relief from boredom to get on a "life ship" and leave this planet and go larking about looking for something new to do.

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Renderosity forum reply notifications are wonky. If I read a follow-up in a thread, but I don't myself reply, then notifications no longer happen AT ALL on that thread. So if I seem to be ignoring a question, that's why. (Updated September 23, 2019)