It would be utter folly to "give up on our search for extraterrestrial intelligences". The cost for searching is relatively cheap, scientificly. Many of us have contributed our own personal funds to SETI endeavors. SETI searches are rife with possibilities of serendipitous discoveries. Even more imagination and effort is needed for these searches.

That said, it's humbling to know that as of this time we still do not know if anything as basic as a virus exists that evolved independently elsewhere. The universe has possibilities ranging from no life whatsoever off Earth or the solar system (local panspermia) "It's dead, Jim", to galaxies populated with technically advanced civilizations. Neither possiblility is yet ruled out by science.