I spent yesterday trying to figure out what comes next. It seems fairly clear that the American people don't like us. Or at least they would rather have their country run by George Bush. It's not a lack of education (though that matters) and it's not a lack of resources (though, that too matters). I think it's a challenge of words, and frames. More voters identify themselves as conservatives than liberal. Though that doesn't necessarily play out in their issue positions. But the power of frames and words is such that we lose. Because calling us liberal automatically triggers rejection for our positions our facts, and efforst are lost.
So, how do we talk about our issues. How do we reframe the debate?
I just read "Don't think of an elephant" by Lakhoff. It's phenomenal. It is the ground work for this new goal of mine...to have an online....think tank....clearinghouse, blog, discussion place...for talking about talking about issues.
Aaron
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2 comments:
Blogging is a great place for discussing ALL issues.
You say the American people don't like "us". Where are you from? Are you going to put in a profile so we know more about you?
See you in blog'osphere.
Strange...I didn't realize that so quickly passers-by would find this.
I was mainly thinking of this as a repository for ideas from the left for the left--about how to talk about progressive politics. I think we've (the left, progressives) lost our capacity to talk about our values and views without relying on old words, and wornout slogans. We need to retool.
I'm young. white. from the midwest. living in the west. worked in progressive politics for 4 years. lost everytime. sick to death of losing.
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