Anthropology, 210 (Response to Agriculture as a Mistake)

I agree with your assessment.  Forming groups and hierarchies is more of an innate character trait of social animals, including humans.  Even before stationary settlements, there was a concept of who were the leaders, who plays which role, and how much priority was given to that role.  Egos naturally come into play in a group setting.  It is a natural drive to want to be the best among your peers and have the best resources.  As you said, much more positive was gained from settlements than negative.  Just like technology, social interactions evolve over time.  Humans are just reluctant to change.