SPoR and Semiotics

The Social Psychology of Risk (SPoR) is premised on the criticality of all language for relationship, community and Socialitie. So, in SPoR when we think of language we don’t just think of text but all language that is para-linguistic, beyond linguistics. Just as we know that text and number evolved through the transfer of symbol to text, we also know that there are other languages that doesn’t use number and text. For example, Music has its own language that is composed of notes-notation but extends way beyond such an understanding. Music also holds the language of sound and all that e-motion that sound generates. When music is played and felt it extends way beyond the limitations of the mechanics of music. Indeed, in some ways aa focus on the mechanics of Music robs it of its full meaning.

When we consider language, text and linguistics we enter into the conscious world of cognition and brain-centric knowing. When we engage in symbolic language and para-linguistics knowing we enter into a whole new world of e-motion, embodiment, Poetics and felt-knowing. This is the world of love, trust, passion, faith, hope and heart-gut knowing. None of this is measurable. Nothing of this is mechanical or controllable.

Such a world should not be feared but rather embraced. SPoR embraces this world in its quest to understand and tackle risk.

This book brings together 25 years of work in SPoR all into one place.  It presents the many models, methods, methodology and semiotics that are foundational to the Discipline of SPoR.

Just as music can only be understood musically so too, Semiotics can only be understood semiotically. Poetics (all that is not measurable) can only be understood poetically.

So, this is a book that attempts a translation of SPoR Semiotic knowing into the presentation of a different way of knowing, being and living in risk. This Semiotic knowing emerges from SPoR methodology into its many methods and models that focus on Socialitie and risk. This stands in contrast to orthodox approaches to risk that are consumed by text, checklists, audits, paperwork and tables.

In order to tackle the challenges of Semiotics and risk, one has to move beyond traditional rationalist methods and knowing and embrace different kinds of intelligence. Semiotic and Poetic language reveal a more relational-social way knowing. This knowing brings with it a new semiosis (meaning) that changes forever how one views, understands and tackles risk.