Myth is a very useful genre when one tries to understand a wicked problem like risk and safety, fallibility and culture. When one understands what myth is (https://safetyrisk.net/understanding-the-myths-and-metaphors-of-safety/) then Risk Makes Sense (https://www.humandymensions.com/product/risk-makes-sense/).

Understanding myth is the key to understanding culture. Interestingly, no publications in risk and safety ever mention myth.

There is no need to be afraid of risk or myth, risk and myth are essential for learning. The fear of risk is the fear of learning. That’s why the ideology of zero (https://www.humandymensions.com/product/zero-the-great-safety-delusion/) is anti-learning.

Myth is not about fables, fairy tale, folklore or fiction. It has never been understood this way. Myth transcends any idea of rational or irrational thought. A myth is the construction of meaning via narrative and semiotic. Myth holds true to itself as a genre of communication of meaning. When we say something is a myth, we are saying that something has meaning for a group or culture but it is not evidentially true. One cannot judge myth by rational or so called ‘scientific’ criteria. Myth is other than science but is neither fiction. In the same way one can’t understand culture through science or engineering.

Understanding myth requires much more than just a casual interest in its construction. Myth is foundational to understanding culture, faith, religion, anthropology, linguistics, personhood and meaning. A study of a few of the following are essential:

Myths we Live By

Myth and Reality

The Power of Myth

Purity and danger

In order to understand risk and myth, I have created the following semiotic to help understand where myth situated in relation to other forms of communication of meaning and purpose. See Figure One: Mapping Myth.

Figure One: Mapping Myth.

If you are interested in discussing the map of myth and in trying to understand why myth is critical to understanding safety, then I’m happy to discuss: rob@humandymensions.com