If you allow the past to dictate your incentives and motivations for doing things, you are not very bright. You doom yourself to repeat the errors of your parents. For example, if we were a world of people whom cared for our children that motivation would be what would be required for us to supply our needs. We would not need to prostitute our abilities and force each other in manipulation to meet ends. Like our cavemen parents, we still are beating each other over the heads and teaching our children the same motivations and incentives. Stalled, we grow not by repeating the past mistakes.