I always thought it was evolutionary. To be afraid of change and new things because new things bring unforeseen consequences. Better to stick with what works, p

I always thought it was evolutionary. To be afraid of change and new things because new things bring unforeseen consequences. Better to stick with what works, picking berries in this bush, rather than venture across the river to get to the other bushes and risk being eaten by something. Also, I remember a study done a long time ago on primates on an island. They all had a very specific way of opening coconuts or whatever, that they taught their young and each other, it wasn't very effective. So the researchers taught one of the primates a new and better way of opening a coconut and released him back with the others. Even though they others could clearly see that his way of opening coconuts was better and easier, the group stuck with the ways of the old. Perhaps because they wanted to conform and not stand out. Little by little a large number of them started using the new method over time. And when a certain percentage of them were using the new method the others converted as well. Lesson: We do what we do because society tells us to.