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Could it be that because we are waaaaaay out on the end of an inconsequential arm of our home galaxy, revolving around an ordinary star with no remarkable characteristics, save one, that we're here, it's just hard to find us?

I postulate, we just haven't been found yet!

we are waaaaaay out on the end of an inconsequential arm of our home galaxy

It's true we inhabit an ordinary star system in a minor arm of the Milky Way far from downtown. Our star is also in the middle of a vacuum bubble 500 light years across that was cleared out by a supernova sometime back. We're not only living in a rural area, but in a rural area that has been stripped of a lot of natural resources such as interstellar gas of various kinds.

Our solar system is kinda out in the boonies (one of the spirals) in comparison to systems that are part of / or at least closer to the nucleus of the galaxy. If there are "other civilizations" ... there probably is a greater chance of finding one where the star density is greater. Unless of course that proximity to other stars exposes any pre-life molecules too a much higher radiation level which could preclude life .... as we know it. In which case ... if there is life out there ... it probably is so wildly different from ours, we may not even be able to see, hear, or otherwise detect their existence. And remember that man has only had the capability to communicate over light year distance for about 100 years (or less). That's 100 years out of 4.5 billion years of planet life. That is a pretty small window of opportunity. All we have to be is 100 years older than an other civilization and they can't hear us. All we have to be is 100 years younger than another not to hear them.

"I postulate, we just haven't been found yet!"

Nope. There has been ample time, using a drunkard's walk, for every single star in the galaxy to have been visited multiple times. If there are several spacefaring societies, there should be a traffic jam.

Also we should observe their traffic--which we do not.

Finally, I commend the recent book Rare Earth to your attention.

--Boris