In the tradition of safety lunacy, religion, soteriology and just plain crazy, we bring you the latest promo from a company in Poland (see Figure 1. Born to Save). It seems no matter where Safety spreads its toxic touch it leads to excess, obsession (https://safetyrisk.net/safety-as-a-mental-health-disorder-obsession/ ) denial (https://safetyrisk.net/zero-suicide-and-the-discourse-of-denial/; https://safetyrisk.net/beware-the-cult-of-denial/ ) and a warped worldview (https://safetyrisk.net/warped-imagination-and-magical-thinking-in-risk-and-safety/ ).
In this industry that makes up crap (https://safetyrisk.net/when-safety-doesnt-know-just-make-st-up/ ), cries wolf (https://safetyrisk.net/safety-cries-wolf/ ) and brags about professionalism (https://safetyrisk.net/three-lessons-in-how-to-be-unprofessional/ ) we bring you the latest in the safety saves discourse.
Figure 1. Born to Save.
You can imagine how bewildered I was when I saw this safety van, with the logo not dis-similar from the logo for the Wayside Chapel (See Figure 2. Love Over Hate). Except the Wayside Chapel Kings Cross is a Church organization (https://www.waysidechapel.org.au/ ) yet it never claims, nor wants to profess to ‘saving lives’. Indeed, in all my experience in church organizations and not-for-profit organizations I have never seen one that likes the idea of being ‘born to save’. Such language is considered repulsive to the people I know who work in helping people with substance abuse, homelessness, crime and violence. Not so Safety.
Figure 2. Love Over Hate
Oh yes, but look over here, Safety Saves Lives (https://safetyrisk.net/heaven-n-hell-and-the-safety-religion/ ). How repulsive and arrogant!
When we look at the image above of ‘Born to Save’ what do you notice on the door? The perfect image of safety as police issuing an infringement notice. What a wonderful indictment of what Safety projects as its image. I bet that safety policeman ran straight back to his computer to report on the life he just ‘saved’. That is, after he reported on the injury rates for that month of those he didn’t ‘save’.
Of course, the use of the ‘sacred heart’ is common in Catholicism (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sacred-Heart-Roman-Catholicism ), a perfect semiotic for an industry that denies fallibility and believes in the Spirit of Zero (https://safetyrisk.net/the-spirit-of-zero/). Just watch that apocalyptic video and tell me that Safety is not a religion.
The moment you claim or think you are ‘born to save’ you have a messiah psychosis. Such a thing is never claimed by any religious leader. A messiah complex demonstrates a delusion associated with one’s power and sense of heroics, also a fixation in safety (https://safetyrisk.net/no-gurus-no-stars-no-heroes-needed-in-safety/ ).
Why is it that this industry propagates all this delusional mystical religious stuff (whilst also claiming to be professional) but never speaks of the basics of living, being, listening, caring, ethics and helping? Says so much about an industry that is yet to realise any maturity when it comes to the wicked problem of tackling risk.
There is however a more mature approach to tackling risk that doesn’t deny fallibility that ‘works’ (https://www.humandymensions.com/product/it-works-a-new-approach-to-risk-and-safety/ ).
In SPoR, safety starts by rejecting heroics, messiahs and religion, including rejecting zero, and unlearning lots of safety crap and moving towards learning that involves humility, care, helping and understanding. Such a turnaround involves learning to be a skilled helper.
If you want to learn about SPoR you can sign up for the free online module that will start in late August (https://cllr.com.au/product/an-introduction-to-the-social-psychology-of-risk-unit-1-free-online-module/ ).
Do you have any thoughts? Please share them below