TB871: Systemic and unsystemic metaphors

Note: this is a post reflecting on one of the modules of my MSc in Systems Thinking in Practice. You can see all of the related posts in this category. 

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Some metaphors that we use in everyday discourse are reductionist, static, and imply linear thinking. When I asked GPT-4o for a list of 10 of these it came up with:

1. Chain of Command: Implies a linear and hierarchical structure.
2. Assembly Line: Suggests a step-by-step, linear process.
3. Building Blocks: Indicates individual, separate components that form a whole.
4. Blueprint: A detailed plan implying a static, fixed outcome.
5. Machine: Each part has a specific, unchanging role within the system.
6. Recipe: Following exact steps to achieve a predictable outcome.
7. Tree Diagram: Hierarchical structure with clear, linear branches.
8. Domino Effect: A sequential, cause-and-effect relationship.
9. Ladder of Success: Implies a linear progression from one step to the next.
10. Puzzle Pieces: Each piece fits into a predetermined spot to form a complete picture.

Other metaphors that we may choose to use, especially as systems thinkers are more focused on growth, learning, and complexity. Again, when I asked GPT-4o it came up with:

1. Web of Life: Emphasizes interconnectedness and interdependence.
2. Ecosystem: Highlights complex interactions and mutual dependencies.
3. Network: A dynamic system with nodes and connections.
4. Feedback Loop: A process where outputs are fed back into the system as inputs.
5. Rhizome: A non-hierarchical structure with multiple entry and exit points.
6. Flowing River: Represents continuous change and adaptation.
7. Spider Web: Delicate balance and interconnectedness, sensitive to changes.
8. Cloud: A dynamic, ever-changing system without fixed boundaries.
9. Complex Adaptive System: A system that evolves and adapts in response to changes.
10. Living Organism: Emphasizes growth, adaptation, and interdependent processes.

The danger is thinking that just because you’re using a metaphor such as an ecosystem that you’re doing so systemically:

It can be valuable to keep in mind some of the ways in which situations of complexity are framed in an overtly unsystemic way. But it is important to recognise that there are potential traps in the use of metaphors which cannot provide ‘answers’ in themselves. It is possible to use an apparently systemic metaphor in a very reductionist way. Equally, it is possible to use a reductionist metaphor in a way that widens understanding of connection, invites perspectives and encourages reflective discussion on boundaries.

(The Open University, 2020)

Metaphors can be powerful tools to reframe situations, but we need to be careful that we don’t use them unthinkingly. Also, using the same metaphor multiple times might mean that it loses its explanatory power, so looking for new things to use as a metaphor for others helps keep us ‘on our toes’ (as it were).

References

• The Open University (2020) ‘P2.5.3 Reductionist frames’, TB871 Block 2 People stream [Online]. Available at https://learn2.open.ac.uk/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=2261482&section=6.3 (Accessed 7 June 2024).

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Illustration(s) from absurd.design