So you do agree that the correlation between an extinction level event and the priority of getting humanity to Mars is zero?

If the possibility of an extinction level event is defined by humanity having no control on when it happens, what are the chances of humans developing technology to solve it precisely at the point in the colossally wide timeline when that event randomly shows up?

Unless you live in the anime-like world of Evangelion, where hostile “angels” were sent at the rate that was precisely needed to give humanity both evolutionary and technological pressure to get to the planned stage at the right time. An event that was willed and controlled.

Maybe you want to be the CAUSE of that extinction event?

(but no, we are most likely in a manga instead)

EDIT: slight step to the future, Cory Doctorow wrote about it.