The All New Don't Think of an Elephant!: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate

by George Lakoff

First, notice what conservatives have done right and where progressives have missed the boat. It is more than just control of the media, though that is far from trivial. What they have done right is to successfully frame the issues from their perspective. Acknowledge their successes and our failures. Second, remember “Don’t think of an elephant.” If you keep their language and their framing and just argue against it, you lose because you are reinforcing their frame. Third, the truth alone will not set you free. Just speaking truth to power doesn’t work. You need to frame the truths effectively from your perspective. Fourth, you need to speak from your moral perspective at all times. Progressive policies follow from progressive values. Get clear on your values and use the language of values. Drop the language of policy wonks. Fifth, understand where conservatives are coming from. Get their strict father morality and its consequences clear. Know what you are arguing against. Be able to explain why they believe what they believe. Try to predict what they will say. Sixth, think strategically, across issue areas. Think in terms of large moral goals, not in terms of programs for their own sake. Seventh, think about the consequences of proposals. Form progressive slippery slope initiatives. Eighth, remember that voters vote their identity and their values, which need not coincide with their self-interest. Ninth, unite! And cooperate! Here’s how: Remember the six modes of progress...