It unraveled when consumerism was invented after WWII to keep factories producing goods at wartime levels to 'create jobs'. People don't need 'jobs' working for the rich and buying their cheap crap: they need to be useful to themselves and their grandchildren's places' futures. Blind, fanatical competition and bullying is the underlying methodology that makes everyone distrust each other as threats. Between the economic schools (The Invisible Hand Job) and Madison Avenue (advertising is tax-deductible theft of time and attention), it's a wonder we've left the Moon where it is without breaking it up and selling it off.