[_greim_]

I don't think every aspect of culture necessarily can be traced back to a pragmatic reason. Sometimes people just act out their belief systems, regardless of whether the results are helpful or detrimental to them or their communities.

[_greim_]

Or rather, an ideology doesn't operate in service to the individuals who hold it, but in service to itself. So rather than scratching our heads about how an older women could possibly be a rival to the baker, or the town leader, it makes more sense to look at how she might be a rival to the overall belief system of the community, especially in situations where a new belief system (e.g. Christianity) has displaced an older belief system (e.g. paganism, animism, etc).