re: Uh read the quote
The (I think this is the part you mean?) quote: "...and they look at Earth as an example..." ...of limited resources.
It does not equate to Phil's contention that the authors stated that aliens nor humans must limit themselves to the resources of only one planet/star. The authors only made the contention that it might not be possible to expand exponentially. I'm sure that you or Phil can come up with a list of arguments against this contention, but at least it is one that the authors made, rather than an arbitrary one that their opponent made up.
As for your non sequitor about how wonderful it would be to get off the planet: me too. So what?