Thinking Points: Communicating Our American Values and Vision

by George Lakoff

Book Overview

Two years ago George Lakoff published the bestselling Don't Think of an Elephant Its account of the conservative monopoly on effective framing touched off a national discussion about political language. It also gave rise to a chorus of pleas for more:

* What is the progressive vision of America;
* Why progressive values are America's values;
* How frames are necessary to serve the truth;
* Why sloganeering alone doesn't...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0374530904
• ISBN13: 9780374530907
• Release Date: October 2006
• Publisher: Farrar, Strauss & Giroux-3pl
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Framing Made Concrete

In this short volume, Dr. Lakoff presents a more concrete, 'work-a-day'approach to activists who wish to employee the technique to both frame their own messages, and recognize other's frame when they are presented. 'Moral Politics' was Lakoff's original analysis; "Don't Think of an Elephant" the cliff notes for it, and now we have 'Thinking Points'- the Chilton manual.

Lakoff Hits Another Home Run.

George Lakoff has done it again. His latest book, Thinking Points is yet another pithy, memorable analysis of how we progressives can make our points more effectively so that the movement truly embraces the majority of Americans. Highly recommended for policy analysts and public spirited citizens.

Lakoff's Linguistic Expertise Highlighted in an Indispensable Primer for Progressives

Anyone who has read "Don't Think of an Elephant" will know author George Lakoff knows about the power of imagery through words. He clearly illuminates the influence exerted by metaphors that resonate with the American public, in particular, the impermeable connection people make between family and nation and how images are divided along party lines. A professor of linguistics, Lakoff is a senior fellow of the Rockridge Institute, the renowned liberal think tank that concentrates in part on helping Democratic candidates and politicians with re-framing political metaphors. With his latest book, he goes even further in providing clear-eyed examples of the political arguments that have proven to work, the ones that appeal most deeply to personal values and moral structures. As with "Elephant", he bases his principles on what he calls "deep frames", perceptual maps each of us have in order to make sense of the world. Anything spoken that is antithetical to one's "deep frames" simply do not resonate because phrases, no matter how well turned, have to reflect tangible deeds at the end. What Lakoff provides in his slim volume is a primer for the progressives who have given up the fight of words to the conservatives who had successfully used father-figure metaphors to convince the nation to go to war in Iraq. In fact, the most fascinating parts of the book have to do with the "war on terror" frame. The author brings to light how Republicans have framed the war as a just one because any other kind is beyond our cognitive process. Consequently, references to the "war" frame have constrained Democrats from initiating a withdrawal that would get us out of the war. Repositioning "war" to an "occupation" frame minimizes the good-versus-evil symbolism in favor of questions that innately arise as to when to leave Iraq. Moreover, an "Occupation President" sounds more like a military commander disregarding the Constitution rather than a heroic figure out to eliminate global terrorism. Lakoff applies his framing devices to several other political debates, for instance, the use of the term "biconceptualism" rather than references to a moderate position since the former infers an inclusive way of thinking that balances polar perspectives, while the latter picks up on the compromising aspect of being in the middle. With the decisive Democratic victory in both houses earlier this month, the progressive community has an opportunity to gain a foothold through the reinforcement of such inclusive frames in their speeches. From that perspective, Lakoff's primer becomes indispensable.

The Meta-Politics Primer

Lakoff and the Institute take their reader through just about every major political debate, explaining how deep framing affects surface framing on each and how both progressive and conservative frames understand the deeper issues behind the policy debates - issues like self-reliance, common good and the morality of property ownership. They then show how to frame progressive arguments in ways that conservatives and biconceptuals (moderates) can easily access and in ways that they can relate to and agree with, while still remaining authentically progressive. He then makes one final point - that framing has to be repeated, time and again and across the board, until it becomes as pervasive and automatic as the conservative narrative has been, and then more so. In 156 easily accessible pages, Lakoff sets the standard upon which all future discussion of the deep cognitive nature of political debate - the meta-politics - will be based. As such, I heartily recommend that you go buy this book. It is a must read.

Another excellent book by George Lakoff and The Rockridge Inststute

As are all their books, Thinking Points; Communicating Our American Values and Vision by George Lakoff isn't disappointing. Well written and easy for anyone to read and understand, Dr Lakoff reiterates the differences between Conservatives and Progressives; "The Strict Father" model and "The Nurturant Parent" model, and why these differences are at such odds in our political system today. Point by point, examples are given as to how each ideology defines words, and frames it's messages. How metaphors are used with soundbites, un-truths and spin, Dr Lakoff once again shows us how the right-wing conservative agenda has joined with the fundementalist base of the religious right to slowly erode traditional Progressive American "values" and civil rights in the name of their new Conservative "values package". My hopes still are that more Progressive Democratic and Republican politicians and candidates will read the information Dr Lakoff and The Rockridge Institute have been working so hard to get out to us. I also hope all Progressives will read this book and be better able to understand what we actually stand for and how to speak out together in unison to keep freedom and peace alive in America.