Mine isn't either of those, or any other variation. The point is that since you are not them, you can't know what they would do.

Your "interpretation" is just making them after your self image, thinking that that is what it means to be "advanced".

A more charitable interpretation is that an advanced civilization would be more likely to ensure it's own longevity and durability by engaging in serious, disciplined conservation of resources. Pretty simple observation, really.

the classic scifi trope of an advanced extraterrestrial race is one that is able to not merely ensure its existence but also develop and advance itself rapidly through aggressive intergalactic colonization and resource extraction.

Their resources don't have to be the same ones you need. They might have technology to produce everything they need and disregard any other ecosystem, especially ours.

You are again just projecting what you/we need on them, like the parent comment.