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Yeah, I dunno about that.

Groups and institutions are great for creating additional social pressures that discourage people from violating morays. But unless you couple that with a fundamentally different set of values, I don't see how they are a solution. If anything, they create additional strictures that encourage the kind of rule-breaking behaviour the article talks about.

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What I'd say is that such institutions help temper the view that the self and short-term utility for the self are the ultimate good.

Again, that presupposes a different set of values.

Consider common American Evangelical beliefs that focus on praying for specific material or personal gain (such as good health). This is nothing more than religion blended with "the cult of the individual". As such, I have little reason to believe those institutions would create better outcomes.

I think in all but the most extreme cases, even then, there will be an interest in the health and well-being of the whole community, prayer lists for parishioners who are ailing, and so on. Perhaps not for the TV guys who preach out of converted sports arenas but I think it's a little questionable if that really represents a community.

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