Mary Douglas

Mormons... are so strong, they can handle wealth, they are confident. I think it is because they are not bogged down by rules for equality, but have a firmly defined system of relative status and responsible command.

If people want to compete for leadership of a religious group, they can compete in piety. A chilling thought. Or funny.

What did our nation ever do to provoke these madly vicious enemies? What is seen as injustice in one place is seen as just requital in the other.

Real equality is immensely difficult to achieve, it needs continual revision and monitoring of distributions. And it does not provide buffers between members, so they are continually colliding or frustrating each other.

Inequality can have a bad downside, but equality, for its part, sure does get in the way of coordination.

Hierarchy is is much reviled in the present day.

Since 1970, relationships can be more volatile, jobs more ephemeral, geographical mobility more intensified, stability of marriage weaker.

Religion can make it worse. Are you supposing that if people were encouraged to believe in a transcendent reality, and to be encouraged by grand rituals and music and preaching, to love their neighbors, then they would put jealousy and frustration aside?

Enclave life becomes very tense, Even when they do elect a leader, the factions remain, with the threat of splitting off.

I am convinced that living in an enclave shapes the personality, and living alone shapes the personality too.

Hierarchy works well in a stable environment.

Our technological infrastructure alienates us from each other. No need to form a workplace community, everybody there will be out in a year or two, and so will you, looking for a better place.