Jill Tarter said at a lecture in 2000 that SETI should be renamed SETT, the Search for ExtraTerrestrial Technologies. Because unless and until we get some serious telescopes going, we are not going to find those non-technology-using intelligent dolphins of Gamma Hydra 12, no matter how smart they are or how high they jump out of their waters or how loud they squeak.

SETI has evolved over the decades to reflect our growing understanding of astronomy, technology, and biology. It has also had to defend itself against being constantly lumped in with the UFO alien abduction crowd by the public and even other scientists. So sometimes the "official" SETI circles do seem to be playing catchup. In addition, since the first starships are a few years away, hoping that we can pick up signals being aimed at us will have to do for now. At least now they are starting to consider the possibility of alien probes in our solar system. It took decades to "accept" Optical SETI along with radio.

It's just smarter to look and listen than not, and in the US since all SETI groups are now private, they don't cost the taxpayers a cent. So no more senators whining about NASA spending money looking for "little green men."