One of the tragic outcomes of zero language in safety is the fixation on binary thinking (https://safetyrisk.net/the-binary-barnacle/ ; https://safetyrisk.net/non-binary-decision-making-in-risk/ ). It’s always about zero or 1. It’s always black or white, fast or slow (thanks Kahneman) no in-between. … [Read more...] about The Language of In-Between in Safety
language
Utopian Language and the Quest for Perfection in Safety
Idealism is the unrealistic pursuit of perfection. In philosophy, Idealism privileges the world of ideas over matter and energy. Hannah Arendt wrote in The Origins of Totalitarianism (1951), ‘the self-compulsion of ideological thinking ruins all relationships with reality’. This is what the … [Read more...] about Utopian Language and the Quest for Perfection in Safety
Identity and Safety
The term identity politics has its source in the 1970s and defines the political identity of groups under various forms of oppression. Often this expression ‘identity politics’ is used pejoratively (https://www.vox.com/identities/2016/12/2/13718770/identity-politics ) and coupled with other silly … [Read more...] about Identity and Safety
Linguistics and Safety
When I was teaching Linguistics in Secondary and Tertiary contexts, I would always repeat the well-known aphorism: ‘say what you mean and mean what you say’. How unfortunate that the safety industry has no interest in Linguistics and thinks it is fine to speak gobbledygook to people … [Read more...] about Linguistics and Safety
Doing Away With Health and Safety–Language and People
‘Whenever Safety is used as an adjective whatever follows is moronic’ - Dr Rob Long In his book “Drift Into Failure”, the attention Sidney Dekker gives to the importance of language is critical as he states: ‘What we need is a language that can help us get to a more functional account … whose … [Read more...] about Doing Away With Health and Safety–Language and People
Culture Silences in Safety – Language
When culture is defined as ‘what you DO around here’ it pushes the most important element of culture (Language) to the background. This also helps Safety speak nonsense to people and to speak safety code (https://safetyrisk.net/deciphering-safety-code/ ). Safety code is a form of language that … [Read more...] about Culture Silences in Safety – Language
Linguistics, Language and Meaning in Risk
Linguistics, Language and Meaning in Risk When we study Linguistics in SPoR (https://cllr.com.au/product/linguistics-flyer-unit-21/ ) we look at language, the acquisition of language and the purpose of language. Language is the bedrock of culture in all its forms: spoken, written, unwritten, … [Read more...] about Linguistics, Language and Meaning in Risk
Listening to the Symbols of Christmas
Listening to the Symbols of Christmas A good way to discern what someone is talking about is to listen to their language, words spoken and unspoken. If someone is talking about ‘learning’ or ‘culture’ and doesn’t speak about embodiment, the unconscious, mystery, wisdom, symbolism, mythology, … [Read more...] about Listening to the Symbols of Christmas
What You Profess in Safety
What You Profess in Safety There is no separation between claiming the word ‘professional’ and what you profess. What one professes determines if one is profess-ional regardless of whether one likes to claim the word as a brand or not (https://safetyrisk.net/not-a-professions-bootlace/ ). … [Read more...] about What You Profess in Safety
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
