When you have something to strive for everyone will do their bit and make it happen. Once they get to a certain level they ease off. They usually have more time then for leisure activities. That is when their mind wanders from essentials like food and water and moves to more erudite questions like how many angels can you get on the head of a pin or how many genders there are.
At that point all effort is directed to useless pursuits and the empire eventually crashes.
I believe it is related to why empires fall.
When you have something to strive for everyone will do their bit and make it happen. Once they get to a certain level they ease off. They usually have more time then for leisure activities. That is when their mind wanders from essentials like food and water and moves to more erudite questions like how many angels can you get on the head of a pin or how many genders there are.
At that point all effort is directed to useless pursuits and the empire eventually crashes.