Curated Video Clips Related to the Theme of the Weaponization of Loneliness
Asch Line Experiment and social pressure. Note how having a "partner" within a group reduces conformity.
"The Honecker Joke" -- Scene from the 2006 movie The Lives of Others. An employee joins his co-workers in the cafeteria of the headquarters of the East German Stasi (secret police) and tells a politically incorrect joke about the nation's communist leader -- unaware that the head honcho can overhear him. [Spoiler alert: the boss wasn't "kidding" about ruining Alex's career.]
Trailer from the 2015 film: Experimenter: The Stanley Milgram Story. This movie delves into the story behind Stanley Milgram's famous "shock experiments" in social conformity and "obedience to authority." Since Milgram was a student of Solomon Asch, there is background to the Asch experiments in the movie as well.
Trailer from the 2014 movie The Giver. Based on the dystopian novel by Lois Lowry, The Giver portrays life in a dystopia where where "sameness" is the rule and cultural memory is hidden from all.
"The Loyalty Dance" is a scene from 1987 movie The Last Emperor. Mao Zedong's mob of loyal Red Guard youth "justifies" the revolution and its uses of violence against perceived enemies. On the sidelines are victims of struggle sessions who have been singled out for humiliation and social rejection.
Below is a trailer for the management training film, "The Abilene Paradox." It's based on the book by professor of management, Jerry Harvey, who wrote about the negative effects of self-censorship on real progress and communication. The film depicts the social dynamics of mindless "agreement" in everyday settings as well as in business settings.