An ongoing topic in this blog is the use of military metaphors for marketing campaigning. You can read more here of what has been said in prior entries. So it was with interest I read a paper written by Anthony Judge titled: "Enhancing Sustainable Development Strategies Through Avoidance of Military Metaphors". He presents a thorough, well researched effort that offers the most exhaustive list of alternative metaphors I’ve ever seen. If you’re troubled by the use of military metaphors or you’re seeking alternative metaphors to communicate with, his paper is well worth the read. Here is the introduction:
There is a desperate worldwide search for sustainable development strategies
and for the appropriate means for their implementation. To a large extent
such strategies are elaborated and presented through the use of military
metaphors. In discussing the associated challenges of communication, great
emphasis is placed on "target audiences", "targets", and "targeting" in
designing "campaigns" and "mobilizing" resources. Typically in slide presentations,
notably those enhanced by Microsoft’s Powerpoint software, strategies
are structured in terms of "bullets" — which are also characteristic of
the documents in support of such presentations.The question asked in this paper is whether such simplistic language
is adequate to the challenges of communicating complex insights in response
to complex environmental issues — or of eliciting the support of partners
vital to the success of such initiatives. Furthermore, there would seem
to be a strong possibility that such language is based on mindsets and
frameworks that were fundamental to the generation of the problems that
sustainable development strategies purport to address. In this sense use
of military metaphors may contribute directly to inhibiting and undermining
any useful implementation of such strategies.
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