Most people are nice, some people are evil, controlling, horrible. For the most part the evil, controlling, horrible are good at just that, causing the nice people to periodically take their show on the road to get away from people who spend all their time innovating on the evil, controlling, horrible front and thereby forcing them to start employing their time more productively :)
We need to explore space.
Nope. There is a *reason* that the Galactic Confederation of Planets won't let us leave Earth.