I mainly ask myself cultural questions.

IMHO the core difference between sci-fi and fantasy is that in fantasy who you are affects what you can do and in sci-fi what you can do affects who you are.

Right now I'm workshopping my civilization's attitude towards children. I've arrived at it being effectively closer to the attitude parents have in Pokemon than anything resembling a modern conception of what being a good parent is. Long lifespans and low scarcity means that children venturing out into the world to make a name for themselves is considered an important part of growing up because back home things are so heavily gerontocratic it takes a hot minute to carve out a niche. Sometimes your kid gets lost in space. Sometimes it comes back 200 years later and made a huge name for itself. Gotta give 'em a chance to prove their worth and worst comes to worst. Well. NOT giving them this chance would've been worse.