Big Ideas The dark side of collaboration — when thinking together goes wrong
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Jul 28, 2025 Simon Longstaff, the Executive Director of The Ethics Centre, delves into the paradox of collaboration, revealing its potential to inspire creativity yet also lead to ethical pitfalls. He discusses historical perspectives where collaboration was vilified, especially during conflicts. The conversation emphasizes moral courage in the face of societal pressure and the dangers of conformity. Longstaff also explores the essential balance of diverse viewpoints to prevent groupthink and highlights how small, courageous actions can foster trust and drive meaningful change.
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Dual Nature of Collaboration
- Collaboration has a light, positive side but also a dark side linked to conformity and wrongdoing.
- Understanding this darker aspect helps us recognize when thinking together suppresses dissent and ethical judgment.
Paris Liberation Collaboration Punishment
- After Paris was liberated in 1944, women accused of collaborating were publicly shamed by having their hair shaved and paraded.
- This reveals harsh social punishment and complex moral judgments attached to collaboration during war.
Complexities in Judging 'Collaboration'
- Collaboration with oppressive regimes can be complex, involving survival, coercion, or acts of love.
- Moral judgment is often fraught, sometimes punishing acts as minimal as speaking to an enemy soldier.
