> basically every institution ever is intended to be long term Well, except all of the ones that aren't. Someone opening a chain of sandwich shops might not be

> basically every institution ever is intended to be long term Well, except all of the ones that aren't. Someone opening a chain of sandwich shops might not be overly concerned with whether they're around in a few millennia, just as the cult leaders you refer to may have in actuality been much more focused in both intent and action on ensuring that their institutions paid off for them personally for the duration of their lifetimes than in their actual long term durability.