Common Goals and Magnificent Results

I really appreciate the feedback regarding my paper! I wanted to share a portion of it.  I soon discovered that four pages was not enough space to really dive into all that we can learn about collaborating from Moby Dick.  This is just a small portion, but this is a topic I would like to study more about, not just from Moby Dick but from other groups, companies and organizations that are effectively collaborating to form magnificent results! 

San Francisco Opera's Moby Dick. Photo by Cory Weaver.

        Whaling itself is an operation that is structured in such a way that collaboration can thrive in it’s purest form.  For the men aboard these ships, the trust and reliance that they have among each other is very literally the difference between life and death.  To stress this idea, Ishmael spends entire portions of his narrative describing in detail the process by which these men work together to capture and collect the whales.  Ishmael goes into specifics concerning the monkey-ropes.  Ishmael explains, “From the ship’s steep side, did I hold Queequeg down there in the sea, by what is technically called in the fishery a monkey-rope, attached to a strong strip of canvas belted round his waist” (Melville 302).  Ishmael goes on to describe the bonding this simple monkey-rope created between himself and Queequeg and states, “So strongly and metaphysically did I conceive of my situation then, that while earnestly watching his motions, I seemed distinctly to perceive that my own individuality was now merged in a joint stock company of two; that my free will had received a mortal wound; and that another’s mistake or misfortune might plunge innocent me into unmerited disaster and death" (Melville 303).  Ishmael’s individuality was sacrificed so that he could become part of a larger cause, a larger collaboration.  While life itself does not need to be at stake for a successful collaboration, Ishmael demonstrates that to achieve a deeper level of commitment, there needs to be a common goal, or something of communal value must be at risk.  

        In the professional world we see that some of the greatest creations come only after separate parties come together with a common goal in mind.  LinkedIn is a professional networking website that creates opportunities for people to collaborate in ways that extend beyond just making a contact for a job.  True progress occurs as people from different backgrounds with a common goal or desire are able to join forces.  Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn’s co-founder stated “No one can succeed by themselves. Apple today is totally focused on how it can better work with its [applications] developer community.  It cannot thrive without them. The only way you can achieve something magnificent is by working with other people” (Friedman).  This level of magnificent collaboration is achieved as those involved recognize and utilize each other’s strengths.