The EVE Online of today has very little to do with the game that came out 21 years ago. It’s been kept up to date very well, the graphics are really nice and the game has been made a lot better for new players. A new expansion just dropped so now it’s actually a pretty good time to try it out.

As for mining in peace: that’s totally doable if you know what you’re doing. The best advice would be to join a mining/building corporation as soon as possible and have them show you the ropes. The element of risk never goes completely away, and you should always be prepared to lose the ship you are flying, but the risks are very manageable, to the point where you should almost never lose a ship unless you’re actively taking more risk.