It's tradeoffs, imo, because while first principles thinking is often necessary, we can't all learn about time dialation before using a GPS device.  Some modicum of appeal and reliance on trusted authority is necessary to put people to their highest and best purpose in the aim of collaborative benefit.  Without some herding instincts we'd all be doing everything alone and we would die because our human bodies are soft and weak. 

 Tradeoffs, or matter of degree. There's a reason why some food animals are farmed and others are left in the wild. For example cows versus deer, who never stop fighting for freedom when trapped. You can't domesticate a deer. Humans are more like cows. 

 I agree with this. I think my only disagreement is whether it’s a flaw or a feature with tradeoffs. What I mean is if we didn’t have this characteristic I’m not sure we’d still be humans. 

 Seems the idea is that if people were more like deer, perhaps they would be too unruly to establish a civilization. But deer do commune amongst each other, learn from each other, etc. In contrast, I think the conquests of history can be thought of as a timeline of humans being domesticated into farmability. 

 Not all of us can or will be architects and engineers.