I would suggest there is a more elemental process at work. Basically nature overproduces and consequently the process of selection sorts out the ones who survive and reproduce. Not every acorn gets to be an oak tree.

The problem though, is that we look at this from a very linear, winner take all monoculture. While the larger reality is more of a multicultural ecosystem, that sorts according to current finess and stores reservoirs of abilities in all the various niches within the system. So that should conditions change, these other abilities might come in handy. While a monocultural approach is to eliminate all such wasteful appendages and focus everything on the prescribed goal.

Which then starts to change, as those in positions of power realize they can't afford to give up power, simply because their talents are no longer the most useful, because the system will eliminate them, rather than keep them in reserve.

Nature is more cyclical and feedback generated, while people are linear and goal oriented, so there are no absolute goals, more like horizon lines.

Many of those acorns serve as food for squirrels, causing them to move and store in places that simply falling from the tree wouldn't reach, so it's as useful as fruiting plants using the fruit to have animals distribute the seeds.

If your group is more concerned with internal politics, than logical outcomes, maybe its time to move on.

The bull is power. The matador is art.