One of the most useful understandings we gain from Marxist and post-Marxist readings on culture is the idea of ‘cultural reproduction’. This is never discussed in any Safety text on culture (https://safetyrisk.net/culture-silence-in-safety-cultural-capital/ ). The reproduction of culture is … [Read more...] about Understanding Safety as a Cultural Reproductive Process
Semiotics
For the Monarchists of Safety
The world just witnessed the Coronation of King Charles III. Whether you are a monarchist or not doesn’t matter for the purposes of this discussion. One thing you cannot ignore about the coronation is the importance of Semiotics, Symbols, Icons, Myths, Ritual and Gestures as the foundation and … [Read more...] about For the Monarchists of Safety
Mandala as a Method for Tackling an Ethic of Risk (a Video)
I always find it entertaining being told by safety people what doesn’t work in SPoR. It is so interesting because such deep thinking comes from people who have never engaged with SPoR, never read SPoR and don’t know what SPoR does. When all you know is a hammer every solution is a nail. When I … [Read more...] about Mandala as a Method for Tackling an Ethic of Risk (a Video)
Visualising the EHS Role
Visual/verbal knowing is not something that Safety does well. Many of the models and graphics used in Safety are poorly constructed, linear and simplistic. The Swiss-cheese for example, is the kind of graphic enjoyed by many in Safety but it simply misleading about how incidents occur, how events … [Read more...] about Visualising the EHS Role
Visual, Verbal and Relational Mapping in Risk Assessment
One of the foundations for SPoR is Semiotics. Understanding semiotics, semiosis, semantics, the semiosphere and semiology is essential for understanding culture (https://safetyrisk.net/culture-silences-in-safety-semiotics/). Not so Safety. Poor olde Safety is so locked into the delusions of … [Read more...] about Visual, Verbal and Relational Mapping in Risk Assessment
The Power of Symbols in Safety
We saw the story recently of the Nazi flag being flown in Beulah Victoria. Interestingly, the etymology of the word ‘Beulah’ designates a mystical place tied to Jewish identity. The controversy over the flying of the flag demonstrates the power of symbols to stir the emotions and draw to the … [Read more...] about The Power of Symbols in Safety
The New Leadership – Risk and Safety
The New Leadership – Risk and Safety Dr Rob explains the what his new book “Following-Leading in Risk” is all about. Download Section 1 of “Following-Leading in Risk" Free (# downloads): [download id="219"] A number of people have been asking about the new book, why this following-leading title? … [Read more...] about The New Leadership – Risk and Safety
Unconscious Codes, Ecological Thinking in Risk
Biosemiotics is the idea that life is based on semiosis, i.e., on signs, symbols and codes. Biosemiotics is the study of signs in living systems. In ecological life there is a ’thinking’ dynamic or ‘force’ that drives everything from the construction of a snowflake to the formation of a hurricane. … [Read more...] about Unconscious Codes, Ecological Thinking in Risk
How Groupthink Works
How Groupthink Works In light of the binary discourse that is floating about my last blog, Like A Collective Brain Snap, this may serve as a follow up. People often scratch their heads wondering why people do things and in exasperation and dismissal come up with the traditional stupidity/idiot … [Read more...] about How Groupthink Works
Linguistics and Risk
Linguistics and Risk Here’s a little experiment for you. Start calling someone a loser and see what happens. Of course, we don’t speak such language, especially to children, because we all know that language creates self-fulfilling prophecies. The language you speak and the text you write are … [Read more...] about Linguistics and Risk