It doesn't really matter that the exact specifics seldom come to pass. The main benefit is expanding our view of the possible. The idea of colonizing Mars affords a vast field for speculation and imagining the acting out of a myriad of choice and change. We don't have to follow in these footsteps but we could easily use the inspiration to make our world a better place. The story lets us vicariously experience huge power shifts and realistically understand how getting what we want can be the worst thing to happen.
Some people like to tell others what to do.
They like that more than freedom. Hirarchy, you know. And their place in the the hierarchy. As long as it's high enough. Evryone bound into their places.