Human beings herd cognitively very, very well (by which I mean very tightly.) Human culture couldn't have survived and grown amongst relatively small groups in

Human beings herd cognitively very, very well (by which I mean very tightly.) Human culture couldn't have survived and grown amongst relatively small groups in prehistory if it weren't so. Only unusual, and not in every respect nice circumstances and cultural practices shake that herding up enough to allow consistent innovation. (See Kerr, How to Write a Bad Play re the history of playwriting; which shows how rare periods when great plays were written are in human history a bit of an illustration.) Otherwise the other crabs in the bucket make sure norms are maintained, and novelty is supressed by the immune system that is human culture. Normal, well organized, stable societies that are highly integrated and provide calm peaceful lives to their citizens under clear, concise, consistent and sensible rules systems... don't innovate. Because cognitive herding is the norm of humans. Innovation at anything other than a glacial pace is what's bizarre; not consistency. Dynamically unstable societies on the other hand, have the chance to develop much better weapons systems and tactics and take over the world, from societies which worked much, much better at providing happy and smooth lives for their citizens. Which is what happened to get us here. Free speech disrupts. Free movement disrupts. Choice of belief systems disrupts. Choice of lifestyle disrupts. Etc. Disrupts physical health. Disrupts mental health. Disrupts marriages and friendships. But to get to a steam engine and then an aircraft carrier with steam catapults, also requires, as a necessary condition, the unconscious acceptance of disruption as part of life. Therefore, it makes sense to judge (ethically, morally, etc) societies that DO produce innovations - they have wildly higher divorce rates, substance abuse, chronic illnesses, stress, PTSD, mental illness and on and on. Terrific weapons though. And toys. Gotta love the toys. To live right AFTER a golden age of human progress is wonderful. To live DURING such an age, pretty much totally sux, if you read any history.