[ Thanks to Rex
Djere for this link. ]
“When the Industrial Revolution began during the 18th
century, a major shift occurred in the motivating forces that drove
human endeavors. Prior to the start of the Industrial Revolution,
an agrarian economy, a dedication to the pious structure provided
by religion, and a strong sense of community/sharing centered on
large groups of families dominated the cultural landscape. However,
the Industrial Revolution brought about one very negative and
unforeseen characteristic, along with the many beneficial ones: the
primacy of self. One subconscious message of the Industrial
Revolution was this: “My gains and my profits are ultimately the
most important thing because my gains, coupled with those of
others, will be the engine that drives progress.” Originally, this
system worked exceptionally well because the drive towards
self-enrichment was tempered by the strong moral directives of
Christian Conservatism. The teachings of the Bible and other
religious writings stressed the primacy not of self, but rather
focusing on one greater that one’s self (God), the importance of
the family, and the importance of community service. However, over
time, those important messages began to be lost. Religion, whose
moral tenets seemed to be an impediment to the unadulterated quest
for profits, was quickly marginalized and given a status separate
from the all-important financial dealings that were making
millionaires out of former farmers. It became clear that the rules
had to be changed to favor those who were willing to do whatever it
took to become wealthy. Those that were willing to bear this burden
quickly began to realize that the best way to motivate their
employees was by offering compensation that far exceeded what they
could make on rural farms. This led to a massive movement of large
masses of people from their familiar farms, churches, and families,
to the bustling streets of the new economic centers, the cities. As
these workers migrated to their new homes, they saw the rapid
accumulation of wealth that characterized their employers, and they
wanted the same thing. An entire movement was born that
“religiously” believed in the primacy of self.”