Happy Tuesday
Hey fellow Liberal Malcontents!
I'm very excited that the Duke invited me to join this blog.
Lately, I've been thinking a lot about two things: co-opting the liberal elite moniker and constructive engagement with people on the right.
For the first, I'm sick of the right using the boogie man of liberal elite. So since they never define who they're talking about, I might as well define it for them. So from now on I'm telling everyone that I'm a card-carrying member of the liberal elite. I suggest you do the same. It's fun, cheap, and easy--kinda like me in highschool.
For the second, I Ioved that politics had become the new sports in the run-up to the election. It's nice to get out of the echo chamber and bounce ideas around. Thoughts?
posted by Ed Keer @ 1/04/2005
3 comments
3 Comments:
Thanks liberal elite for urging us to engage. I haven't done that in a long time. I do know one conservative librarian, I guess I could start going to work on him.
Liberal Elite check out this DVD from Lakoff
Description
JUST RELEASED! How Democrats and Progressives Can Win: Solutions from George Lakoff is a powerful tool for concerned citizens, activists, volunteers - everyone - who wants to communicate effectively. Using television news clips, graphics, and a lively interview with George Lakoff, this 25 minute DVD program will help you understand the critical role of language in today's politics and the ways you can make language work for you. This is a 'How-to' style program with a particular emphasis on this year's presidential election. The use of language to frame all the issues and political debate is what the Republicans figured out over 20 years ago - but what the Democrats have only recently discovered. Lakoff is an expert on language and on this DVD you will learn:
* How conservatives were able to gain so much power
* What "framing" is
* How the term "tax relief" works to frame the debate over taxation
* How to debate a conservative
* Where have all the religious liberals have gone
* Why there seem to be two Americas
* How to influence a swing voter
* How to 'frame' President Bush
* Values win elections. Conservatives know theirs. Do you know yours?
George Lakoff is one of the world's best-known linguists. He is Professor of Cognitive Science and Linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley, and a founding senior fellow at the Rockridge Institute. He is the author of the influential book, Moral Politics: How Liberals and Conservatives Think, 2nd Edition, (2002).
Howard Dean calls Lakoff "one of the most influential political thinkers of the progressive movement." Lakoff's star has been rising--he is currently an advisor to John Kerry and contributed to his acceptance speech at the Democratic Convention.
The Duke: Thanks for the tip. As an ex--post-secondary academic, I've been aware of Lakoff's ideas for a while now but haven't actually read his book. But definitely that's what's behind my idea of reclaiming the liberal elite moniker. That, and I like telling people what to do without factual back-up.
Post a Comment
<< Home