Over the past several millennia, dominant human societies have flowered and declined, including the complex, advanced Maya culture; the Roman Empire, with its huge influence on the modern world; and the British Empire, with its vast conquered territories and global political power. When a society is successful, its citizens come to believe that their way of managing people, politics, communities, religion, culture, education, and economics is the right or best way, and sometimes the only way. Prolonged success can reduce the society’s capacity to adjust to impending change.

Darwin’s theory of natural selection and survival of the fittest serves to reaffirm this attitude. The dominant entity, whether it is a society, culture, or business, is by definition the fittest. This naturally leads to the conclusion that its laws, morals, principles, business practices, religion, language, and culture are best and that all actions, behaviors, or attitudes that ensure success are, by definition, justified and fitting.