“On Scene, But Unseen” is the credo for the stealthy and secretive operations of the U.S. Navy submarine force. All around, all the time, and all but invisible; the phrase reflects the humble confidence of these masters of the undersea.
It occurred to me this imposing credo also invokes several regular themes of Humble Sky. The most obvious being the blog’s namesake and the incomprehensibility of farthest outer space. The infinite blue heavens also are all around and always around — omnipresent and invisible — yet hardly given a second thought.
With all due respect to the armed forces, “On Scene, But Unseen” also relates to professional public relations. Prior to initiating a campaign, practitioners work behind the scenes conducting extensive reconnaissance in the form of scientific research, public opinion polling, message testing, etc. This subliminal process then informs how best to influence the minds of target audiences.
And finally, the submariner’s credo could serve as a call-to-action to counteract an increasingly destructive cultural phenomenon: people who pontificate relentlessly, but are unwilling to listen and, consequently, unable to learn.
There is a universal relevance to “On Scene, But Unseen” — a common sense theme, in other words, to be more present, attentive, curious and humble.
Great blog. I enjoyed the connections.