Navigating the Unintended Consequences of Language, Imagery, and Meaning Has Never Been More Difficult or More Important

Authors

Jon Brown, Mines Advisory GroupFollow

Abstract

Words matter. The imagery we use matters. When we tell the wrong story (or the right story in the wrong way), it damages us as organizations, damages us as a sector, and, most importantly of all, causes distant but lasting harm to the very communities we exist to serve and of which we are a part of. Let’s be clear: we at Mines Advisory Group (MAG) are certainly as guilty as the rest of the sector in getting things wrong, but we are putting steps in place to try to get it right.

The world has moved on from the days when international development organizations sought out extreme representations of poverty and misery for the sake of a few bucks in donations. Not long ago, almost every narrative pivoted on a one-dimensional and fundamentally inaccurate storyline: here is a group of wealthy, privileged, expert people (saviors) rendering assistance and aiding another group of people (victims).

Recommended Citation

Brown, Jon (2024) "Navigating the Unintended Consequences of Language, Imagery, and Meaning Has Never Been More Difficult or More Important," The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction: Vol. 28 : Iss. 2 , Article 2.
Available at: https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal/vol28/iss2/2