Excellent Tutorial on Framing (a must-bookmark for all)

[barbaraann]

I honestly don't think we can win if we don't learn how to stop the right from framing every single issue.

Here's a link about how WE can frame issues:

http://www.rockridgeinstitute.org/perspectives/simple_framing

excerpt:

Carry out the following directive:
Don't think of an elephant!

It is, of course, a directive that cannot be carried out — and that is the point. In order to purposefully not think of an elephant, you have to think of an elephant. There are four morals.
Moral 1. Every word evokes a frame.
A frame is a conceptual structure used in thinking. The word elephant evokes a frame with an image of an elephant and certain knowledge: an elephant is a large animal (a mammal) with large floppy ears, a trunk that functions like both a nose and a hand, large stump-like legs, and so on.
Moral 2: Words defined within a frame evoke the frame.
The word "trunk" as in the sentence Sam picked up the peanut with his trunk evokes the Elephant Frame and suggests that "Sam" is the name of an elephant.
Moral 3: Negating a frame evokes the frame.
Moral 4: Evoking a frame reinforces that frame.
Every frame is realized in the brain by neural circuitry. Every time a neural circuit is activated, it is strengthened.
...

(Thanks to nannygoat and orwell for leading me to this info.)

[meti57b]

1. excellent article! I hadn't thought about it in just that way.

[barbaraann]

2. And I think it's easier to tell people that the Bushies "frame

the debate" instead of saying that they practice mindcontrol or brainwashing. :-)

OK, I'm off to bed now.

Good night, DUers.