GregsOpinion.com

Best take on George Lakoff I've run across yet ...

To Lakoff it's all a matter of "framing" -- frame better, and the human sheep will follow. Because, you know, enlightenment has failed, and the best manipulator wins. Being a progressive, Lakoff is angry at the way Republicans frame. But, in despair over the need to frame -- and operating far from the emotional core -- the best he can come up with are tinny alternative phrases. Call trial lawyers "public protection attorneys." Campaign for "poison-free communities." And you've solved it.

No, you haven't. If you want to motivate people, you have to start by respecting them, and respecting what they believe. And, while you're at it, you have to know what they believe. Example: Democrats want to appeal to values voters, yes? Well, why are values important to those voters? Ah, because you feel threatened by change! Things are moving too fast, spinning out of control. We need to slow down before we change everything. Hmmm. Well, sounds to me like what you're really talking about is security. And security is important to all Americans. But the way to create security is to unite, not to divide. To draw on the best that everyone has to offer. To exclude no one. To recognize that government isn't an enemy of the people, it's the expression of the people. To find the right way for government to participate in the lives of the people...

Now -- was that "framing?" I don't think so. I think it was better. I think it represents what the Democrats might be able to accomplish if they stopped relying on Lakoff, stopped envying the Republicans their so-called manipulative skills, and tried to build a campaign out of a deeper understanding of what people actually care about. Please note -- so far, we've been able to build that campaign -- and appeal to values voters -- without for a minute betraying what the Democratic party wants to stand for.

It will take more work than that, of course. That was just a sketch. But at least now we're working where we ought to be -- on the picture, not on the frame.

And for what it's worth, there's another riff on Lakoff here as well. I still have yet to crack open "Moral Politics," but I anticipate it reading somewhat better than "Don't Think of an Elephant." To the extent that the smaller book offers any insight, Lakoff seems to accept that there's in inherently cohesive leftish gaggle of ideologues who would simply win if they merely teach their candidate to tackle abortion by retorting "If you don't want one, don't have one" and other such pithy one-liners. The sad fact of the matter is that for all that keen intellect, George Lakoff is a linguist by profession. Back in the day, they used to call people that came up with material like that a joke writer. How the times have changed.