[mentalgear]

I think not just (computer) scientists but the general population thinks to serve the common good makes sense, not last because we understand it's eventually for our own good.

It is however just that very small minority of the population with highly psychopathic/narcissistic traits - those that, in pre-historic times, would have been kicked out swiftly of hunter & gatherer / small village communities because of their parasitic nature - that in bigger civilisations seem to thrive due to abstraction (distance/time of the effect of their actions) and obfuscation (PR) and instead unfortunately seem to rise to the top (CEOs, presidents, 'thought leaders' ...) to steer the world's overall economy and mindset - and steer it in the abyss.

Sometimes I think humanity was just not made to scale, and this aspect is one very large aspect of it.

[aerodexis]

Humanity was not made to scale quickly. The trouble we have nowadays is that there is no backpressure, largely because the systems that generated that backpressure were dismantled in the name of "freedom" and other myths.

[RugnirViking]

I agree. Heck, it was only 20 or 30 years ago that a common exhortation was to not "sell out". Nowadays that is gone, replaced only by "get that bread". We need to hold each other to a higher standard

[jimbokun]

You are referencing prehistoric times because there is no evidence to confirm or refute your claims.

Most likely the same kind of Machiavellian political maneuvering was effective in those groups as well.