The language used in safety and its non-events, evokes greater absurdity as the industry continues to struggle for relevance. Soon it will simply run out of words to explain what it does.

I had to laugh when I read about traditional safety being on ‘the cutting edge’ and being ‘revolutionary’ and then reading the content and sources from all the same old stuff that Safety has been doing for the last 20 years. The marketing of marketing is not new, the philosophy is no different and the quest for uniformity and agreement with one view, is all the same. There is no new ethic, no new grammar and no willingness for a contest in praxis. Nothing is more important than the cult of agreement and the rejection of learning in safety.

If the word ‘revolution’ is to have any meaning it has to be anchored in transformation, upheaval and radical change not comfort in hearing the same old tune that has been replayed by the same old band as last time. It seems in safety, the best way to have a revolution is to set the boundaries and build a fortress of mutual massage.

If there is no movement in philosophy or ethic, there is no ‘revolution’. Indeed, in the quest for comfort in the money club, it’s most important to reject any questioning of the discourse of the club or the monetisation of safety. The discourse of deontology and mechanistic behaviourism is the same, even though the slogans might vary.

If one is going to use metaphors like revolution, cutting edge, pioneering, luminaries, remarkable, powerful and debate, one would expect some sense of contestation, transdisciplinarity and diversity. It’s not there. Everything is comfortable, like for like and conservative. Nothing could be further away from the meaning of revolution.

In the end when we read the spin of revolution in safety, it’s just more marketing. Welcome to the future by regressing to the past. Welcome to disruption without disruption. Welcome to the revolution where agreement is dictated and learning is domesticated. Welcome to the discourse of provocation where no one must be offended. Welcome to the slogans called principles where the word ‘ethic’ gets no mention. ‘Welcome to the game of control.

Apparently, best way forward in the safety revolution is where everything is safe.