I saw the same process occur at a sort of spiritual camp I visited at various times in the late 70's to early 80's. There was this incredible sense of innocence, wonder, open-heartedness, shared vision, and brotherhood in the early years. Then it started to change as certain competitive egos got involved in jockeying for power and control and some real nastiness began to percolate. It just got worse and worse, until the place fell apart in the end and ceased to exist altogether.