 |
|
|
|
|
|
Book Reviews
|
|
|
|
Don’t Think of an Elephant
by George Lakoff
(Chelsea Green; 2004)
|
|
|
|
In Don’t Think of an Elephant, George Lakoff’s shorter version of Moral Politics, he has created a definitive guide for reframing the American political discussion. The point being made by the title is that the human brain and the universe don’t recognize "Not, No, or negatives." By telling someone "Don’t think of an elephant," you are still evoking the image of an elephant.
The book goes on to explain that liberals and progressives today think that conservatives are either misguided or ignorant and if presented with the proper facts, anyone will come around. What happens if those facts don’t fit that person’s view of the world? "I’m rubber, you’re glue," is what they used to say back in elementary school. If the facts don’t fit the worldview, they bounce off. Liberals find it confusing that conservatives are anti-abortion, anti-universal health care, pro-assault rifles, and pro-war, but what we don’t ask is, "Why are we for all the opposites?"
Since the 1960s, when the conservatives started losing more and more elections, billions of dollars have been pumped into right-wing think tanks such as the Heritage Foundation, American Enterprise Institute and Cato Institute. These think tanks came up with new ways to frame their arguments and questions into conservative terms. For example, when the terms are picked up by syndicated news programs and reiterated around the media, the term becomes everyday rhetoric. Conservatives have been largely successful because almost all people hold the conservative worldview somewhere in their mind. You know, the black or white, right or wrong, daddy knows best, respect authority no matter what, worldview. A liberal could be on a TV debate show, arguing against a conservative who uses the term "tax relief." If the liberals use the term "tax relief," they shoot themselves in the foot. What they should be doing is reframing the question into something like, "What relief is it to stop contributing to the health of society?"
I recommend that every American (conservative, progressive, liberal, or apathetic) should go by a copy of this book. Not only does Lakoff explain how Schwarzenegger wooed the hearts of Californians, he also teaches you how to re-frame your ideas. This isn’t just so you can learn how the political debate is being framed. You will also learn about your own worldview.
Ryan LaPorte
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
