> This sounds conspiratorial. It needn't be. It's a plausible survival strategy, given the incentives (economic or otherwise). This doesn't require anyone to c

> This sounds conspiratorial. It needn't be. It's a plausible survival strategy, given the incentives (economic or otherwise). This doesn't require anyone to consciously decide on this strategy, let alone do so collectively. Evolution ensures that those who just-so-happen to follow this behaviour (by whatever reasoning, which may be very well intentioned) will survive; those who don't will move elsewhere.