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I used to be all for SETI, but have come to think of it as a colossal waste of time and money. If they're there, they're there. If not (as is probably the case), we'll never know as you can't prove a negative. To me the question of whether or not life, intelligent or otherwise, exists elswhere is even kind of dull. Its not communicating. Like living next door to someone famous that you never see - all well and good, but if they don't interact with you then what's the point?
OK, that's a little cynical. I suppose it would be interesting to know, but it wouldn't change anything.
After seeing the stunning images and data sent back by robotic probes from our own solar sytem, I've come to belive that this is where we should be concentrating our efforts. So much better and scientifically more useful data, is returned from these that we'll be spending years wading through it. I suspect that we will be uncovering hugely interesting questions about the evolution of planets and other bodies and really this is where we should be spending the money.
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