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elleng

(130,133 posts)
Wed Nov 28, 2018, 06:50 PM Nov 2018

Linguist George Lakoff on what Democrats don't understand -- and Republicans do --

about how voters think

'“Happy Days Are Here Again” is the Democratic Party’s traditional celebration song, and it got some deserved play on election night. But now it’s time to turn up a new song with a different message — maybe “Don’t Screw Up,” by the CraigLewis Band. Democrats now have two years to master the campaign message discipline that George Lakoff says they haven’t managed very well so far — especially in the era of untruth and Trump.

Lakoff is emeritus professor of cognitive science and linguistics at UC Berkeley. His 2004 book, “Don’t Think of an Elephant!”, about how conservatives frame their political messages more effectively than Democrats do, has moved the needle on campaign language, but not nearly enough, he says. Democrats have to keep their messengers on message, and be able to craft that message not just as a recitation of facts and policy, but as a persuasive story about democracy and governance that voters want to hear, and support.

We are a storytelling species. What’s the story the Democrats need to tell for the next two years?

The story has two parts, and they have to do with progressive values. One of them comes from Abraham Lincoln, that in a democracy, you have a government that is of, by, and for the people.

“Of” means the ordinary folks are in charge, and “by” means that the people who are governing you have the same life experiences that you have and understand that, and “for” means that the role of the government is to take care of people.

The second thing is that the private depends on public resources, both private life and private enterprise. You can’t have a business without public resources like roads and bridges and airports and the electric grids. But private life is like that too. You need the same roads and bridges and airports and electric grid and much more. Without public resources, you can’t have private enterprise or private life.

And that's something that is rarely said. If you ask a Democrat if that’s true, they’ll all say yes and they’ll give examples. But if you ask them, “Have you ever said it?” the answer is, no.

And that’s the point. They haven’t said it.

Do they just presume people know this?

I think they presume they know it, or they don’t think about it. I think they take it so much for granted that it doesn’t have to be said. These are values that are progressive values, they’re not conservative values, and they are crucial to a democracy. End of story.

Every Democrat should deliver the same messages and repeat them over and over and over. Not only that, they should repeat them every time they have a policy, and they should point out how the policy relates to these values.

You want to say this over and over so that people understand, after a couple of years of hearing it — maybe getting tired of it. But the point is that they would understand that’s what democratic values are, and why they are so crucial.'>>>

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-ol-patt-morrison-george-lakoff-20181128-htmlstory.html?

26 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Linguist George Lakoff on what Democrats don't understand -- and Republicans do -- (Original Post) elleng Nov 2018 OP
Framing is the only thing that the GOP is good at. guillaumeb Nov 2018 #1
Right, ADVERTISING. elleng Nov 2018 #4
Advertising tells us what we need/want. guillaumeb Nov 2018 #5
That's it. Messaging that grabs, that tells a compelling story. "When they go low, we frame better." JudyM Nov 2018 #12
Exactly. guillaumeb Nov 2018 #14
If they're so good at framing then why do they Cary Nov 2018 #15
The framing is for conservatives. guillaumeb Nov 2018 #16
They are cult followers and will do as tbey're told Cary Nov 2018 #18
It does seem that way. guillaumeb Nov 2018 #19
I think the bottom line is that they are racists Cary Nov 2018 #20
Interesting underpants Nov 2018 #2
I have been trying to read any of George Lakoff's books since I caught his act in "The Brainwashing violetpastille Nov 2018 #3
Hmmmm, messaging.... oldlibdem Nov 2018 #6
Lakoff isn't addressing the "collective right," he's addressing people. All people. CrispyQ Dec 2018 #26
Lakoff can fuckoff Eliot Rosewater Nov 2018 #7
Post removed Post removed Nov 2018 #8
You are telling a member of DU to fuck off? I was talking to a NON board member and NON Eliot Rosewater Nov 2018 #9
Not cool. NurseJackie Nov 2018 #10
... sheshe2 Nov 2018 #11
Nice wordplay. guillaumeb Nov 2018 #17
I have been aware, painfully, of Lakoff for a very long time. Eliot Rosewater Nov 2018 #21
Would a post be in order? guillaumeb Nov 2018 #22
I agree with Gil. CrispyQ Dec 2018 #25
Good read. JudyM Nov 2018 #13
They should have hired him years ago! CrispyQ Dec 2018 #23
So "you didn't build that" was never said? muriel_volestrangler Dec 2018 #24

guillaumeb

(42,641 posts)
1. Framing is the only thing that the GOP is good at.
Wed Nov 28, 2018, 07:09 PM
Nov 2018

And that is because many of their leaders are former advertising people. They know how to sell their vision, and they know how to lie.

And the US conservative, corporate media supports the GOP by uncritically repeating their framing, thus defining the debate.

elleng

(130,133 posts)
4. Right, ADVERTISING.
Wed Nov 28, 2018, 07:14 PM
Nov 2018

'20th century

Advertising as a percent of gross domestic product in the United States, 1919 to 2007, per Douglas Galbi

Advertising increased dramatically in the United States as industrialization expanded the supply of manufactured products. In 1919 it was 2.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in the US, and it averaged 2.2 percent of GDP between then and at least 2007, though it may have declined dramatically since the Great Recession.

Industry could not benefit from its increased productivity without a substantial increase in consumer spending. This contributed to the development of mass marketing designed to influence the population's economic behavior on a larger scale.[20] In the 1910s and 1920s, advertisers in the U.S. adopted the doctrine that human instincts could be targeted and harnessed – "sublimated" into the desire to purchase commodities.[21] Edward Bernays, a nephew of Sigmund Freud, became associated with the method and is sometimes called the founder of modern advertising and public relations.[22] Bernays claimed that:

"[The] general principle, that men are very largely actuated by motives which they conceal from themselves, is as true of mass as of individual psychology. It is evident that the successful propagandist must understand the true motives and not be content to accept the reasons which men give for what they do."[23]'

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advertising

guillaumeb

(42,641 posts)
5. Advertising tells us what we need/want.
Wed Nov 28, 2018, 07:17 PM
Nov 2018

And it can literally sell anything. Advertising, the image of the self-reliant American, convinces us that we are stronger alone than united.
Thus the decline in unionism.
Thus the decline in formal religion.
Thus the decline in participation in voting.
Thus the decline in support for public works, government workers, and all forms of state run enterprises.

JudyM

(29,122 posts)
12. That's it. Messaging that grabs, that tells a compelling story. "When they go low, we frame better."
Wed Nov 28, 2018, 11:57 PM
Nov 2018

Going back to that “who would you rather have a beer with, Gore or shrub...”

Rethug politicians and talking heads are inherently salespeople, they schmooze//lie and smoke & joke//ridicule and we are inherently values people, over-relying, perhaps, on how compelling the truth is. We could sell to way more people (and get more sometimes-voters out) if we sharpened our marketing to fit our story-wired brains.

I have seen this so many times over the years while doing Dem outreach/canvassing/GOTV. Many candidly say they don’t think there’s much difference between the two sides. Why. Because the Rethugs frame themselves and they frame us. It’s all about framing. That’s sales.

guillaumeb

(42,641 posts)
14. Exactly.
Thu Nov 29, 2018, 04:51 PM
Nov 2018

Very well said.

The GOP cannot run and win by stating their true goals, so they are forced to lie and cheat.

Cary

(11,746 posts)
15. If they're so good at framing then why do they
Thu Nov 29, 2018, 06:06 PM
Nov 2018

Have resort to voter suppression, gerrymandering, lying, foreign corrupt practices, ...?

guillaumeb

(42,641 posts)
16. The framing is for conservatives.
Thu Nov 29, 2018, 06:08 PM
Nov 2018

The rest is for liberals, and non-whites.

The problem is that the US corporate media ignores reality and focuses on ratings.

violetpastille

(1,483 posts)
3. I have been trying to read any of George Lakoff's books since I caught his act in "The Brainwashing
Wed Nov 28, 2018, 07:09 PM
Nov 2018

of My Dad."

And I'm gonna be honest. He writes like he is paid by the word. It's exhausting.

The meat of the article is right here:

The second thing is that the private depends on public resources, both private life and private enterprise. You can’t have a business without public resources like roads and bridges and airports and the electric grids. But private life is like that too. You need the same roads and bridges and airports and electric grid and much more. Without public resources, you can’t have private enterprise or private enterprise or a private life.


Let's edit this down:

"We need a government to build roads and pay the police and the fire department. If we had to pay for all this stuff ourselves we couldn't afford it. We also need regulations because they keep us safe and healthy."

But really? I think we Democrats only need be nice and welcoming. That's a universal message.

I'm not a Beto stan, but I think what we like about him is his message of inclusivity. "If you are a Republican, you're in the right place. If you are a Democrat, you are in the right place. We all belong in this tent."

oldlibdem

(330 posts)
6. Hmmmm, messaging....
Wed Nov 28, 2018, 07:49 PM
Nov 2018

So we need to do a better job of explaining LGBT rights to the collective right in America? Voting rights? Voter disenfranchisement? Socialized medicine? Prejudice in general? It's been 150 years since the civil war. Fifty-five years since the civil rights act, And yet the author professes our message isn't happy enough, that's why the right doesn't get it.
I think that some people have inherent prejudices and no amount of "splainin'" will solve the problem. Be it money, power, religion, or some other factor there are Americans out there who will never accept universal rights and freedoms. Just look at the PhD candidate who is a white supremacist. I know very little about this person, but I am willing to bet that his education credentials are impressive and his reasoning ability is above par. I would assume he did not grow up in a vacuum and thru the education system was exposed to a myriad of opinions and beliefs. Yet he chose the dark side knowing full well that his outing would end any chance of normalcy.
Some people are entrenched in their views and always will be. To think that more talking will fix them is a fools errand. I'm far from religious but, I think of the parable where Jesus talks of being unable to convert everyone and "shaking the sand from your sandals". I think of this when talking to hard core republicans. You and I can't make them see the light. The only way their epiphany will come is thru their own self reflection. Probably from a traumatic event such as loss of health care, gun violence etc.

CrispyQ

(36,226 posts)
26. Lakoff isn't addressing the "collective right," he's addressing people. All people.
Sun Dec 2, 2018, 08:42 PM
Dec 2018
Non-voting people. People who have heard since 1980 that "government is the problem."


Response to Eliot Rosewater (Reply #7)

CrispyQ

(36,226 posts)
23. They should have hired him years ago!
Sun Dec 2, 2018, 01:47 PM
Dec 2018

The dems are so far behind the 8-ball now it will take work & dedication & yet, I don't see any evidence that dem leadership takes framing seriously. A total anti-Trump message will not get us all three branches of the government in 2020. The story about the kids in Rhode Island, suing the state because they weren't taught civics, shows that no, people don't understand the concepts behind "a government of, by, & for the People." In a representative government, you have to participate and it starts by voting & you follow-up by calling & writing to your reps. The last time the media reported that Congress' phone & fax lines were jammed due to the number of calls was the 2008 financial crisis. Major votes on the ACA gets more activity, too, but this should be the norm for every key vote. But it's not.

The people who show up & participate are the ones who will be represented. It's even more critical now that everything is skewed in favor of the 1%.

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