When we engage with others in an embodied way (kinesthetics) we trigger a host of unseen dynamics that enable greater moral meaning, a higher possibility of ethical practice and a greater likelihood of relational satisfaction. It matters how we think of others and if we use mechanistic metaphors … [Read more...] about A Kinesthetics of Risk
HOP
Ways to Be Blameworthy
We all know that the foundation for propaganda and indoctrination is slogans (Ellul https://monoskop.org/images/4/44/Ellul_Jacques_Propaganda_The_Formation_of_Mens_Attitudes.pdf). Slogans are a trap for those who want simplistic fixes to wicked problems … [Read more...] about Ways to Be Blameworthy
Without Change in Paradigm, There Will Be No Sustainable Change in Safety
We were introduced to the nature of ‘paradigm shift’ by Thomas Kuhn in the 1960s. One thing you can know for sure is that neither Kuhn, Feyerabend or Laktos will be found on any reading list in safety. Even when Safety uses the word ‘science’ it is not about a paradigm shift but rather more of the … [Read more...] about Without Change in Paradigm, There Will Be No Sustainable Change in Safety
When Semiotics Show Your Real Agenda in Safety
I remember having a discussion with a safety person who’s semiotic for their identity was a punching fist on a brick wall. Of course, the person was defensive when I deconstructed the semiotic and pointed out that it was inconsistent with the intended message. Even though the person had no expertise … [Read more...] about When Semiotics Show Your Real Agenda in Safety
Who Is Responsible When the Cause is NOT a Person?
The first recoded death by driverless car was of Elaine Herzberg in 2018. When this happens who is responsible? There are other examples. Of course, the pundits were telling us 10 years ago that driverless cars would be all over the roads by now. They are not. The propaganda about technology … [Read more...] about Who Is Responsible When the Cause is NOT a Person?
Causation Myths, Stop Looking for Linear and Root Cause
One of the most dangerous things about the safety curriculum is its indoctrination about causation. Many of the semiotics of causation such as the swiss-cheese (Reason) and dominos (Heinrich), are simply not true. Both models are completely made up and don’t exist in reality. The reality of life … [Read more...] about Causation Myths, Stop Looking for Linear and Root Cause
Why Deliver Outcomes When Propaganda Will Do?
I recently watched Goebbels and the Fuhrer and read Trump and Hitler, A Comparative Study of Lying and it resonated with so much with what circulates in the safety industry, that is simply propaganda. Why deliver outcomes or practical methods when slogans will do? … [Read more...] about Why Deliver Outcomes When Propaganda Will Do?
Blame Fixes Many Things and The Slogan Trap
The trouble is, that when you call slogans ‘principles’ without any articulated ethic, you create new problems and dangerous by-products. The slogan ‘blame fixes nothing’ is a dangerous and false slogan. The reality is, when something goes seriously wrong, the courts and regulators seek blame … [Read more...] about Blame Fixes Many Things and The Slogan Trap
KamiKaze Safety and The Breath of God
I was chatting with a young person the other day and they brought a drink with them. I normally don’t read the text on cans of drink but was struck by what I read on this can. You can see the can in Figure 1. Breath of God Figure 1. Breath of God Wow, so I drink this energy drink that is … [Read more...] about KamiKaze Safety and The Breath of God
HOP is Traditional Safety
The best way to understand HOP is to see how HOP describes itself. Examine the language of the following: https://blog.intelex.com/2021/07/27/the-5-basic-principles-of-hop-human-and-organizational-performance/ The premise of HOP is the idea that human error is inevitable so perhaps … [Read more...] about HOP is Traditional Safety