When humans first evolved, they surely had a strong commit-ment to their families, clans and tribes. After all, they were very dependent on others for their own survival; hunting, food gathering and protection from various environmental threats were all group efforts.
As human culture developed and evolved, these strong ties to family and community gradually loosened and individuals became more independent. Throughout the centuries, in concert with the rise of industry and technology, human commitment has been tested and, as one might expect, fracture lines have developed. Among the examples most often cited is the disintegration of the family, long the cornerstone of human society; one need only look at divorce rates and the growing number of fatherless children to acknowledge that trend.
The relatively recent focus on celebrity, extravagance and globalization has severed some of the last human bonds. Professionals, dedicated primarily to their personal success, change teams or companies with no sense of commitment to their original organization. Financial gurus no longer invest in corporations or small businesses; rather, they trade or buy stocks, puts and options, moving in and out of positions to maximize their personal wealth. Politicians, focused primarily on staying in office, are less concerned about the welfare of the general public than they are about appeasing influential lobbyists; eschewing "socialism," they protect the power brokers of our society. Corporations, uncommitted to the workers that built them, outsource their labor, laying off dedicated employees in order to maximize profits. The commitment of many modern humans is primarily to themselves.
