Yes we do. You change the social goals. A materialist society will always bring us to the brink of destruction. Also, having poverty and fear loom over people is a terrible idea for the basis of a civil society.

>> You change the social goals.

How do you make the majority of the society believe in the same social goals without resorting to tales a-la Christianity during the fall of Roman Empire?

> How do you make the majority of the society believe in the same social goals without resorting to tales a-la Christianity during the fall of Roman Empire?

In my opinion this is the key question.: How do we get everybody on board with e.g. UN Sustainable Development Goals[1] or something like them?

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_Development_Goals

If we can’t do without it, I see no reason to not resort to “tales”.

I have to admit that there might not even be a way to do that otherwise.

You'll either need to make the whole of the humanity live in the sorts of Star Trek universe, where everyone is equally educated and is equally capable to critical thinking.

Or you end up with the same system where the majority of people are obliged to give their absolute trust to the minority.

Well, you change the culture. Sometimes that takes the form of a religious revolution, sometimes more social revolutions.

Wonderful perspective, thank you!