Robert Long Safety Poems

What Can Poetry Say to Risk?

ByProf. Robert Long

The question itself uses personification to pose the question. Neither Poetry or Risk are persons yet, we easily understand the poetic device (metonym). This kind of poetic device is used all the time in risk and safety where a thing is substituted for another or an object/topic is given a life of its own.

Research in the use of Poetics (Gibbs, 1994., The Poetics of Mind, Figurative Thought, Language and Understanding) demonstrates that humans identify and understand figurative language much quicker than literal language. Indeed, humans prefer figurative language in communication, using metaphor in nearly every sentence spoken. Metaphor is one of our most common uses of Poetics in everyday communication. This was demonstrated conclusively by Lakoff and Johnson (Metaphors We Live By)

When the language ‘safety saves’ is used, Safety is personified. When we speak of ‘risk appetite’ the metaphor of RISK AS FOOD, RISK AS HUNGER, is inferred.

When we speak of risk and safety, we cannot separate the medium of communication from the message. And it is often through the use of metaphor that the emotion of risk is made most powerful.

The study of Poetics is about how language is used to create meaning.

It was the work of M. A. K. Halliday that helped us understand that language is a semiotic system. Figurative language, when we speak in word pictures, is an example of speaking symbolically. We speak and write in this way unconsciously. Learning metaphor commences early in babies through the learning of gesture. We may learn the gesture of ‘suck’ at 3 months but we know what it means much later when someone says ‘this sucks’. Such an expression is much more powerful emotionally than saying ‘I don’t like this’.

So, does it matter if we use the idea that ‘Safety (personified) has a soul (metaphor)’? and, what do we mean when we say that ‘Safety has lost (metaphor) its soul? Such language is neither definitive or literal but, seeks to convey an emotional dissatisfaction with Safety (personified). And, such language is used often in the industry to convey a negative emotion. Similarly, ‘safety (personified) has lost (metaphor) its way (metaphor)’. In this way, SAFETY AS A JOURNEY is invoked.

If we want to understand why the medium is the message and wish to make sense of safety then, some expertise in Linguistics and Para-Linguistics is helpful.

So, when something is described as a ‘pre-accident’ what is actually being stated? What is communicated emotionally? And, does such language make sense? When someone states that they are ‘learning from normal work’ what do they mean? What is normal? When it is stated that ‘work as imagined vs work as done’ what is meant? The use of such language is rarely explained. Indeed, such language is often used in the safety industry as identification to a group or club.

So, how is work imagined? Strangely, this is never explained indeed, that nature of human imagination is not discussed. Somehow, we all know what imagination is, how it emerges from the unconscious and now it is agreed as a common (metaphorical) thing?

Such language used in the risk and safety industry is Poetic. And is accepted as if there is some kind of common understanding. Similarly, instructions to ‘be careful’ and so on are not defined. It’s just ‘common sense’. Unfortunately, Safety seems to be really good at speaking gobbledygook to people (https://safetyrisk.net/zero-vision-creates-mindless-gobbledygook/; https://safetyrisk.net/zero-discourse-as-gobbledygook/). Just believe the impossible! (https://safetyrisk.net/believe-the-impossible-and-speak-nonsense-to-people/). Indeed, the metaphor of SAFETY AS AN ACT OF FAITH. But don’t dare suggest that zero vision is religious.

In SPoR, we study Poetics (the creation of meaning) in order to better understand what people are saying about risk and safety (https://cllr.com.au/product/poetics-flyer-module-22/). We study to try an understand what people are saying about risk and safety to see (metaphor) if it makes sense.

If you want to know more about the linguistics of risk and safety and how it creates its own sense of meaning, you can study the module here: https://cllr.com.au/product/poetics-flyer-module-22/ or write for coaching here: admin@spor.com.au

 

Prof. Robert Long

Prof. Robert Long

Expert in Social Psychology, Principal & Trainer at Human Dymensions
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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