In what ways does the narrator think mankind can benefit from the experience of the Martian invasion?

In War of the Worlds (last chapter..epilogue) the author states that there were some benefits from the Martian invasion. First, it changed fundamentally the way humankind viewed themselves. No longer could mankind afford to believe that they were 'fenced in' and a secure place for Man. The author says: "It has robbed us of that serene confidence in the future which is the most fruitful source of decadence, the gifts to human science it has brought are enormous, and it has done much to promote the conception of the commonwealth of mankind." Moreover, it has encouraged mankind to now reach beyond the boundaries of its own planet, because if it is possible for the Martians, why not Earthlings?