While I definitely admit that many people can bond over a number of things, I feel that nothing can make people bond like a common goal. Or a common enemy.
Like any school project, a group will work together best if they share a common goal. If a member doesn’t really share it or won’t work towards it, it’s likely that person will not contribute as much as someone else on the team that will.
And I would consider “finding a significant other to spend the rest of your life with” to be a common goal, which I believe might partially explain why people stay in relationships. And why some relationships don’t last (difference in desire for kids for example, difference in desire for professional advancement, difference in sexual desire, etc…).
I’ve thought that generally, war is like this. That a nation would come together to fight another nation, but if there was no other nation to fight, they would simply fight among themselves. All our national squabbles would be pretty trivial is say, we were at war with another nation (just my opinion). While humanity might fight among itself given no other opponent, I believe we would band together if say, there were a common global threat. Or if we were on the verge of extinction.
If a meteor were to come towards earth, the world (I would hope) would put aside all their difference and all work on a, or many, solutions to save our race.
If the zombie apocalypse were to occur, humanity would help each other out and kill the zombies.
Even in Hunger Games or Battle Royale, in a “1 survivor” type game, there are alliances. Common goals. And the people band together…until their goal is achieved, and then they’re on their own.
If I were ever to try to lead a group of people, I would try to think of a common goal or enemy. For example, if I were manager of a design and development team, I would have a mandate and hire people who believe and uphold that mandate. And fire people who do not. But that’s just me. People will work best if they’re self motivated…
Just some random thoughts.