Wednesday, January 14, 2004
George Lakoff tells how conservatives use language to dominate politics
Link, found on Metafilter.
I've mused about this kind of thing a bit (usually after hearing a particularly mind-twisting Monty Python piece). Framing involves using words that imply things in favor of your point of view. The very phrase "tax relief" implies that taxes are ornerous. To say you're against it is to say as much that you are against relief as against taxes.
The solution George Kakoff (subject of the interview in this piece) suggests is that Democrats learn some of the verbal tricks conservatives have been using for a while. I think a better, but much harder, answer is to make yourself immune to it, as far as you are able. I know something screwy is going on every time I hear a guest on Talk Of The Nation dilligently rephrase something every time it's presented to him phrased differently than he wants, often slowly. He's slow because he's basically doing verbal math problems in his head.
Either way, this is a very important piece that helps you understand both politics and certain forms of comedy in a new light.
Link, found on Metafilter.
I've mused about this kind of thing a bit (usually after hearing a particularly mind-twisting Monty Python piece). Framing involves using words that imply things in favor of your point of view. The very phrase "tax relief" implies that taxes are ornerous. To say you're against it is to say as much that you are against relief as against taxes.
The solution George Kakoff (subject of the interview in this piece) suggests is that Democrats learn some of the verbal tricks conservatives have been using for a while. I think a better, but much harder, answer is to make yourself immune to it, as far as you are able. I know something screwy is going on every time I hear a guest on Talk Of The Nation dilligently rephrase something every time it's presented to him phrased differently than he wants, often slowly. He's slow because he's basically doing verbal math problems in his head.
Either way, this is a very important piece that helps you understand both politics and certain forms of comedy in a new light.
