Word Wars: "The private depends on the public"
An eye opening interview with George Lakoff
underscores WHY Progressives and Populists are losing.
and core values in language and a moral foundation that appeals -
rhetorically and emotionally - to the better selves of voters.
The tendency of Democrats to use "facts" and "reason" is not
effective to create the frames and guide the narrative to Victory.
Will Democrats continue to allow right-wingers
to dominate the conversation on Freedom?
Democrats should "own" by right, if for no other reason
than that right-wingers are AUTHORITARIAN.
It's time to recapture the narrative of Freedom...
Do you think that Elizabeth Warren does a good job of conveying that, in your words, "the private depends on the public"?
She does it better than anyone else in public life. She sees the truth and has the courage and articulateness to say it out loud and effectively.
Read the whole article at Truth-out
http://truth-out.org/progressivepicks/item/27576-george-lakoff-progressives-cannot-succeed-without-expressing-respect-values
yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)I know deeply religious conservatives who are morally opposed to abortion and birth control, opposed to any restrictions on public and private expressions of Christian faith, and opposed to taxation and regulation which supports any of these anti-Christian views. But, they are Democrats! The frame they see it in is the message of Christ, and the Republican Party consistently delivers anti-Christian values - hate, intolerance, war, disdain and contempt for the poor, obvious racism, economic inequality.
As Liberals and Democrats, we have allowed the right wing to label us as baby killers, godless atheists, communists who want to take their hard earned money and give it away to the undeserving. The argument has ended right there. The lines are drawn.
But we can change the frame.
Cosmic Kitten
(3,498 posts)But there are obvious contradictions that
open the door to changing the frame and narrative.
Christians need to take back their own rightful place.
Democrats can't help the church, but the church can help Democracy.
yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)Why can't the Democratic Party?
For example, we tell the values corporations they do not have to have health insurance which includes abortion or birth control coverage. Then, we do everything in our power to make sure there is affordable coverage available.
Since Roe v. Wade (1973), the Republicans have pledged to end abortion. That is a long time to fail in delivering a promise - but a lot of elections! Do they really want to end this divisive, manipulative issue? And religious conservatives keep voting for the party that doesn't deliver.
We lose elections we should win because we concede our identification to the Republicans. We need to change the perception which in effect is reality.
Cosmic Kitten
(3,498 posts)Yes, that's why the messaging must include values.
"a nurturing politics for the common good "
"the private depends on the public"
"Democracy is freedom"
yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)Aren't we the party of environmental protection opposed to greenhouse gases and supporting alternative energies?
Didn't President Obama today declare we are now the largest oil producer in the world? That Keystone XL Canadian oil is irrelevant, just a drip in the market?
Cognitive dissonance.
CrispyQ
(38,269 posts)Makes you wonder why the dems won't hire him & take his advice. Maybe because you can only spout liberal values for so long, without really supporting them.
Cosmic Kitten
(3,498 posts)We keep losing elections and the voting base is apathetic and disenfranchised.
How we frame issues and talk about the problems can turn it around.
Hasn't stopped MANY career "democratic" politicians!
sabrina 1
(62,325 posts)Their words were stupid, childish, but they were repeated over and over again until people were so familiar with them, they didn't THINK about what they really meant.
But first you have to know what will resonate with people. THEN you can condense it into a catchy phrase and/or word.
No one has done the work on this.
Eg, the Right coined phrases like Welfare Queens eg, which instantly conjured up images of lazy, no good, healthy people who simply won't 'pull themselves up by their bootstraps'.
But the Left has done nothing half as effective regarding Wall St, who are the REAL 'Welfare Queens', feeding at the public trough for Trillions, AFTER they have failed.
OWS has done a lot to introduce short phrases and words aimed at Wall St that is now commonly used.
But maybe it would be smart to pick an issue, Wall St Money eg, its influence on our Government, and find ways to condense the info so that people 'get it'.
Cosmic Kitten
(3,498 posts)No one has done the work on this.
The "work" has been done... many years ago.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bernays
http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/bernprop.html
http://www.whale.to/b/bernays.pdf
To make something "resonate" it needs to touch the
individuals "value system"...
Once the values are identified ideas can be "framed"
to create an overarching "narrative" that describes
a POV to which people can subscribe.
The "Left's" ineffectiveness has much to do with the
difference between intellect and emotion.
As you point out "they didn't THINK about what they really meant"!
TaDa! People respond emotively to media and propaganda,
NOT intellectually... which is why facts and reason fall on deaf ears.
The success of OWS IS in fact due to "resonating" with
people in an EMOTIVE manner.
It is easy to look at banksters and then one's own bank account
and say HEY! Wait a minute!!! I'm getting ripped the eff off!!1!!1!
Whatever "issue" Populists choose to work with it needs to
resonate with the MAJORITY of Americans, across political lines,
and clearly define "Us and Them"...
Public vs private?
Public vs corporate?
1% vs 99%?
Picking a partisan issue or looking at the trees
rather than the forest is not a winning formula.
Populism is a Public concern.