Australia’s ‘ethics infrastructure’ is broken

Our ‘ethics infrastructure’ – the institutional framework that we rely on to guide our morals – is collapsing, according to Dr Simon Longstaff, Executive Director of the Ethics Centre.

Neil Mitchell agrees that the institutions that are supposed to uphold moral values are crumbling.

“Media: fake news.

“Church: paedophiles and cover up of paedophiles.

“Police: case after case of why they shouldn’t be trusted.

“Politicians: well we don’t even have to talk about them,” the 3AW Mornings host said.

Dr Longstaff said ethics infrastructure acts as a “shock absorber” which helps society cope with radical change.

“We are on the verge of what I think will be civilisational change, not because of these things but because of the effects of technology,” he said.

“That’s why I’m concerned about this infrastructure, because those are the things in the past that would have acted as shock absorbers to help us address this, and to make sure that the inevitable transitions that we face will be both just and orderly.

“It’s precisely the time when you’ve got to rebuild it.”

Press PLAY to hear Dr Simon Longstaff, Executive Director of the Ethics Centre, on air with Neil Mitchell.