This is definitely one for Safety People who like to think! Say Something that Makes Sense When Francis Fukuyama was asked what he thought was the most dangerous idea in the world he responded, ‘transhumanism’. Transhumanism is the quest to liberate humans from their biological constraints (eg. … [Read more...] about Say Something that Makes Sense
language
I’m Running Late
‘I’m running 10 minutes late. Sorry’. This happened with me twice last Friday. In both the meetings, people were little late, and both were apologetic about not keeping to time. As I was waiting, a thought came to mind. How would the phrase ‘I’m running late’ translate into my native language … [Read more...] about I’m Running Late
Why a shift in language alone does not bring cultural change
Until as late as the 1950s, the Tahitians did not have a name for grief. The anthropologist Robert Levy visited the island and noticed that when someone in the community passed away many Tahitians would fall sick and suffer from anxiety (Levy, 1975). Levy then gave a new language to this … [Read more...] about Why a shift in language alone does not bring cultural change
You Will Be Held Accountable to the Language You Use in Safety
Ten years ago, Dr Craig Ashhurst, Greg Smith and Dr Rob Long got together to do a video series on myths in safety called Risky Conversations, The Law, Social Psychology and Risk. The result was the publication of 22 videos, a book and audio book. You can access them here for free; Audiobook - … [Read more...] about You Will Be Held Accountable to the Language You Use in Safety
Is Your Language in Safety ‘Useable’?
Language is neither mechanical nor measurable and, similarly we don’t acquire language in such a way. So, when we look at what we write and say in safety, we can’t approach language through the behaviourist, engineering or scientist lenses of ‘safety’. This is why a Transdisciplinary lens is … [Read more...] about Is Your Language in Safety ‘Useable’?
Safety Doesn’t Need Military Language
Safety Doesn’t Need Military Language One of my favourite books on learning is by Donald N. Michael ‘Learning to Plan and Planning to Learn’. Michaels is one of the great education philosophers up there with the likes of Parker J. Palmer, Buber, Ellul, Claxton, Robinson, Maclaren, Illich and … [Read more...] about Safety Doesn’t Need Military Language
Myth, Objectivity and the Subjectivity of Language in Safety
We all speak language unconsciously. This is because language is embodied from birth. We don’t need to think about what to say and process thought/language like a computer. We speak what we want to say most often without thinking. The words come out as we think and most often, we hear what we think, … [Read more...] about Myth, Objectivity and the Subjectivity of Language in Safety
Linguistic Non-Intelligence with Safety Non-Experts
In the long tradition of claims in expertise that are not, we have the latest from Safety as non-experts in Linguistics (https://safetyrisk.net/more-of-safety-talking-to-safety-about-safety/). Apparently, counting repetition of words as data is ‘language intelligence’! Of course, it isn’t, but … [Read more...] about Linguistic Non-Intelligence with Safety Non-Experts
More of Safety talking to Safety About safety
So, we can now add a new area of expertise that Safety has acquired. We don’t just have Safety presenting on Ethics and Culture, we now have Safety parading a lack of expertise in Linguistics. Through the so-called lens of ‘language intelligence’. Download HERE: Language Intelligence However, if … [Read more...] about More of Safety talking to Safety About safety
Silences in Safety
With the subtlety sledgehammer, Dr Rob Long knocks the unattainable, meaningless ideas and slogans like “Zero Harm” and “Safety First” right on the noggin! Read more of his articles here “Cultures that strategically know their silences are more sophisticated than cultures that fill the airwaves … [Read more...] about Silences in Safety