Don't Think of an Elephant: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate - Softcover

George Lakoff

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1931498717 ISBN 13: 9781931498715

Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing Co, 1990

Synopsis

Don't Think of an Elephant! is the definitive handbook for understanding what happened in the 2004 election and communicating effectively about key issues facing America today. Author George Lakoff has become a key advisor to the Democratic party, helping them develop their message and frame the political debate. In this book Lakoff explains how conservatives think, and how to counter their arguments. He outlines in detail the traditional American values that progressives hold, but are often unable to articulate. Lakoff also breaks down the ways in which conservatives have framed the issues, and provides examples of how progressives can reframe the debate. Lakoff's years of research and work with environmental and political leaders have been distilled into this essential guide, which shows progressives how to think in terms of values instead of programs, and why people vote their values and identities, often against their best interests. Don't Think of An Elephant! is the antidote to the last forty years of conservative strategizing and the right wing's stranglehold on political dialogue in the United States. Read it, take action and help take America back.

About this title

Review:

Publishers Weekly-Lakoff, a cognitive scientist and linguist at Berkeley, believes he knows why conservatives have been so successful in recent years and how progressives like himself can beat them at their own game. This slim book presents a simple, accessible overview of his theory of "moral politics" and a call to action for Democrats mourning November's election results. Lakoff's persuasive argument focuses on two ideas: what he calls "framing," and the opposition of liberals' and conservatives' concepts of the family. Conservatives, he says, have easily framed tax cuts as "tax relief" because of widespread, preexisting views of taxes as burdensome, and liberals have had little success conveying the idea that taxes are a social responsibility. In Lakoff's view, conservatives adhere to a "strict father" model of family, in contrast to liberals' "nurturant parent" view, and he sees this difference as the key to understanding most of the two sides' clashes. His writing is clear and succinct, and he illuminates his theories through easy-to-follow examples from current politics. Although the book has been updated since the election, many of its sections were originally written long beforehand, so some comments are outdated (at one point Lakoff wonders, for example, whether George Bush's support of the gay marriage amendment will help him keep the White House). However, the process of regaining power may be a long one for Democrats, and Lakoff's insights into how to deal with conservatives and appeal to the general public are bound to light a fire under many progressives. "Fascinating insights into why progressives lose good causes and how they can start winning again. You will never listen to a political speech the same way after reading this book."--Tina Brown, Host of CNBC's Topic A with Tina Brown

Synopsis:

"Don't Think of an Elephant!" is the definitive handbook for understanding what happened in the 2004 US election and communicating effectively about key issues facing America today. Author George Lakoff has become a key advisor to the Democratic party, helping them develop their message and frame the political debate. In this book, Lakoff explains how conservatives think, and how to counter their arguments. His years of research and work with environmental and political leaders have been distilled into this essential guide, which shows progressives how to think in terms of values instead of programmes, and why people vote for their values and identities, often against their best interests. "Don't Think of An Elephant!" is the antidote to the last forty years of conservative strategizing and the right wing's stranglehold on political dialogue in the United States.

About this edition

• Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing Co
• Publication date: 1990
• ISBN 10: 1931498717
• ISBN 13: 9781931498715
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 144