Robert Long

The Satire of Safety Extremism

ByProf. Robert Long

Funkita is a swimwear brand in Australia (https://www.funkita.com/). They also sell an extensive range of apparel. Funkita was started in 2004 as a companion brand to Funky Trunks. Funkita know all about the nonsense excesses of safety and this is apparent when you purchase a product and you look at the tag. See below:

I just love the safety instructions:

  • Do not handle radioactive waste in Funkita
  • Do not wear Funkita while swimming with crocodiles
  • Do nnot ride kangaroos while wearing Funkita
  • Do not operate heavy machinery while wearing Funkita

This reminded me of the section in this blog site: This Toaster is Hot.

It also reminds us of the excesses of the Safety archetype. And, we see it everywhere, giving us lectures about the most basic things, treating everyone as dumb because only Safety is safe.

There is nothing quite like the excesses of Safety to make safety irrelevant (https://safetyrisk.net/the-perils-of-excessive-safety-management-systems/).

This is the paradox we observe in the culture of safety is, the obsession with safety (https://safetyrisk.net/safety-obsession-as-a-mental-illness/). Obsessions are a mental health disorder (https://safetyrisk.net/safety-as-a-mental-health-disorder-obsession/). And yet we have all these people lining up to call themselves safety gurus, safety geeks and adding safety to their own name eg. Safety Sophie

Why is it that this industry obsesses so much with salvation (https://safetyrisk.net/how-an-obsession-with-safety-leads-to-mental-illness-tyranny-academy-of-ideas/)? Why is it that Safety ends up becoming tyrannical and obsessive about controlling others? This is evidenced everywhere in the semiotics of safety with its hierarchies, power-centric messaging and linear orientation (https://safetyrisk.net/safety-beliefs-by-semiotic-evidence/).

It is as if training in safety creates this monster that obsesses with power and then wonders why it alienates people to safety.

One should have a good look at the safety curriculum and see how it indoctrinates towards this obsession. BTW, the AIHS BoK Chapter on Ethics make no mention of the word ‘power’, the very foundation for understanding ethics.

If you want to be educated on the Ethics of Risk, start with an understanding of power (https://www.humandymensions.com/product/the-ethics-of-risk/ ).

When you are silent about the abuse of power, obsession in safety is easy.

Congratulations to Funkita, who underrated the excesses of safety.

 

Prof. Robert Long

Prof. Robert Long

Expert in Social Psychology, Principal & Trainer at Human Dymensions
Prof. Robert Long

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Prof. Robert Long
PhD., MEd., MOH., BEd., BTh., Dip T., Dip Min., Cert IV TAA, MRMIA Rob is the founder of Human Dymensions and has extensive experience, qualifications and expertise across a range of sectors including government, education, corporate, industry and community sectors over 30 years. Rob has worked at all levels of the education and training sector including serving on various post graduate executive, post graduate supervision, post graduate course design and implementation programs.

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