That was one of the things that interested me about the character. He doesn't want to be a hero, and has no real desire to save the earth or discover aliens. He's sniffing around looking to see what will fall in his lap.
“Even the most malignant gods would not continue to inflict life upon humanity, time without end.”
“A nation' s strength ultimately consists in what it can do on its own, and not in what it can borrow from others.”