Group affiliation is the next big player in shaping social behavior. We've got exclusive clubs, inclusive organizations, overlapping circles, traits, skills, professions - you name it. And don't forget, some groups are as temporary as the roles we play at work.

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Let me tell you, artificial intelligence has been a game-changer for research potential. Think about how we develop in schools. Our public education system teaches us everything from crunching numbers to crafting essays. Kids learn to be good citizens and team players as they grow up. When they ace those tests, they're fitting into this mold of what we expect a citizen to be.

Now, not everyone needs to know every skill or art form out there. Every time you start throwing around a new acronym at work, like DDT, with your coworker, you're specializing within your group. Here's how I see it: the stuff all citizens need to know to function together? That's science. Everything else? That's art. Art's a rich field, sure, and it's got plenty of links to science. But a lot of art is really only shared or appreciated by certain groups of society.

When a group demands skills or traits that leave others out, those people are becoming too specialized. Picture a class that acts up with a substitute because they're emotionally attached to their regular teacher. Or think about a country that takes pride in its poems, novels, and history. Consider a profession that uses jargon to raise the bar, even if it's more about exclusivity than actual efficiency.

Here's the deal: when an average random person has to learn new lingo or pick up new skills to join a group, that's group-building in action. It is overfitting to the knowledge of each other compared to the random average. They're becoming specialists within their circle.

Sometimes this specialization is a good thing, sometimes it's not. Family values are important in many societies, and in some, they are practically everything. In other places, being part of a church is what counts. When droughts made food scarce or wars broke out, these groups were there first to jump into action.

Societies that share a wide range of common traits can be incredibly adaptable. Any piece of shared knowledge can help new industries pop up fast. Competition drives down prices and boosts supply. It's a win-win for everyone. An educated and open workforce is the secret sauce behind the success of powerhouse cities like New York or the Los Angeles metro area.