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A review by acsaper
Don't Think of an Elephant! Know Your Values and Frame the Debate: The Essential Guide for Progressives by George Lakoff
4.0
"Don't Think of an Elephant" offers political progressives and aspiring politicians a helpful guideline in shaping language for the benefit of their intended argument.
Lakoff argues, and demonstrates with numerous examples that conservatives have been very sucessful in shaping the course of public discourse, which, in turn plays out to their candidates favor come election time. Exploring the idea of political soundbites as issues of mental framing, Lakoff suggests that reshaping the public's framing of issues can in fact bring about much desired, and possibly needed, social change.
In the first half of this roadmap to reframing, Lakoff delineates a number of political agendas that conservatives have managed to control through the use of calculated framing. . .for example the idea of 'tax relief' or the intentional avoidance of 'gay marriage,' which, to conservatives is oxymoronic and thus not worth mentioning.
After presenting the linguistic forces that progressives are up against, the second half of the book provides some basic guidelines for helping to not only render current frames meaningless but proactively introduce those that support more idealized politics.
Perhaps the most pertinent example is in Lakoff's discussion of the the "Ten-word philosophies."
In response to conservative cries for "Strong Defense, Free Markets, Lower Taxes, Smaller Goverment [and] Famiy Values," Lakoff recommends adopting, and promoting a philosophy that expresses progressive ideas through more constructive framing, rather than simply arguing soundbites that automatically conjour up conservative idea.
I believe George Lakoff has a lot to offer those that wish to change what they do not like about the way that our country is run. . .and if you believe in a "Stronger America, Broad Prosperity, Better Future, Effective Government, [and] Mutual Responsibility," then you'll probably enjoy this book too!
Lakoff argues, and demonstrates with numerous examples that conservatives have been very sucessful in shaping the course of public discourse, which, in turn plays out to their candidates favor come election time. Exploring the idea of political soundbites as issues of mental framing, Lakoff suggests that reshaping the public's framing of issues can in fact bring about much desired, and possibly needed, social change.
In the first half of this roadmap to reframing, Lakoff delineates a number of political agendas that conservatives have managed to control through the use of calculated framing. . .for example the idea of 'tax relief' or the intentional avoidance of 'gay marriage,' which, to conservatives is oxymoronic and thus not worth mentioning.
After presenting the linguistic forces that progressives are up against, the second half of the book provides some basic guidelines for helping to not only render current frames meaningless but proactively introduce those that support more idealized politics.
Perhaps the most pertinent example is in Lakoff's discussion of the the "Ten-word philosophies."
In response to conservative cries for "Strong Defense, Free Markets, Lower Taxes, Smaller Goverment [and] Famiy Values," Lakoff recommends adopting, and promoting a philosophy that expresses progressive ideas through more constructive framing, rather than simply arguing soundbites that automatically conjour up conservative idea.
I believe George Lakoff has a lot to offer those that wish to change what they do not like about the way that our country is run. . .and if you believe in a "Stronger America, Broad Prosperity, Better Future, Effective Government, [and] Mutual Responsibility," then you'll probably enjoy this book too!