Proponents of space colonization often invoke the survival of the human species as their primary justification: Earth, they argue, is vulnerable to asteroid impacts, supervolcanic eruptions, and self-inflicted catastrophes, making a backup civilization on Mars essential. This framing, however, obscures a less altruistic motivation. The companies and governments leading the push for space colonization stand to gain enormous economic and strategic advantages from controlling extraterrestrial resources. The rhetoric of species survival may be sincere, but it conveniently aligns with more earthly interests.