Why would we live on the moon in permanent colonies outside of scientific research? There are still tons of uncolonized places on earth that are much more hospitable than the moon.
There could be a great many reasons to do that. I'm not talking in the next twenty years here. But can you say there's no reason to do that in the next thousand years?
Even just as a source of materials in a much smaller gravity well it could be instrumental to future human space industry and exploration.
Even just as a source of materials in a much smaller gravity well it could be instrumental to future human space industry and exploration.