Semantic Reactions Episode 38 Featuring Nora Bateson
Oct 28, 2025
Nora Bateson, author and president of the International Bateson Institute, explores the concept of polycrisis—interconnected crises affecting society today. She critiques reductionist thinking, advocating for 'warm data' and complex communication to address systemic issues. Nora discusses the role of families as resilience networks, the importance of storytelling to foster connections, and the need for diverse communication forms to navigate our current challenges. This conversation sheds light on the intricate dance between systems thinking and societal repair.
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Episode notes
Crises Are Entangled Systems
- Crises are entangled and impossible to separate into neat categories.
- Treating problems as isolated obscures necessary cross-contextual connections.
Research Needs Relational Context
- Reductionist research misses relational information and produces biased conclusions.
- We urgently need transcontextual research that includes relational 'warm data'.
Design Communication For Complexity
- Communicate research with contextual complexity rather than flat headlines.
- Design formats that let experts share nuance and relational meaning with broader audiences.
