"I will need your help to meet this challenge. Please reach out to me if you have any interest in helping me find the right language, educating me about the issues, sharing your research, or just brainstorming.” Antonia
Hello Antonia,
Here is some brainstorming from a retired psychologist and former marketing writer.
One difficulty we are facing here is the repetition of MAGA messaging over MAGA dominated media. Many voters who are tuned out and identify themselves as “independent“ do not really fit that label. Such independents may more accurately be described as easily hypnotized.
I wonder if there are alternative strategies for inoculating people against the compulsion that is activated by feeding the frame?
And before we get too alarmed about the vulnerability of uncommitted voters, there are many who are already committed to Democratic values. These include especially young people who care about specific issues, such as climate change, difficulty affording housing and school. Their connection to such issues is a frame. Many such voters are best reached by their peers in personal conversations.
An increasing number of people who subscribe to main stream media are writing comments and letters to the editor to hold them accountable for reinforcing framing and repeating fears that can demotivate Democratic voters. I have done so and have seen the influence start to take hold. Some opinion writers in those media are aware of the threat. We can quote their columns to amplify their voices.
A growing army of activists across the country are building a powerful ground game to reach uninformed, first-time and infrequent voters. The evolving strategy is to have multiple contacts and prime them to be ready to vote when the time comes. A similar approach is to contact neighbors who are identified as infrequent or uncommitted voters and to start having conversations with them now. We can also reach people nationally via post card and letter writing campaigns. This would be a kind of inoculation against the framing influence that you describe.
Also, there is the Words that W!n messaging strategy of a truth sandwich. You start with stating a shared value. Then you identify a villain generically. You complete that message with a vision. This kind of message is repeated in advertising, letters to the editor and social media.
Another way to accomplish the reinforcement of our own frame is to put Biden/Harris bumper stickers on our cars and similarly to add bumper stickers for local candidates to build name recognition.
And, we can post in all media about blue values. A really good place to start is the wonderful speech by Hakeem Jeffries when he accepted the position of Minority Leader of the House. If you look it up you will find that he went through the entire alphabet, contrasting Democratic with Republican values. Highlight the Democratic ones, many of them brief enough for bumper stickers and signs.
Let’s get to work. Together we will win this fight!
I have read several of George Lakoff's books and have listened to many of his YouTube videos. I understand frames and work to build some in my group of Democrats. I would be interested in hearing what you have to say.
I totally agree with this. If hammering Trump's negatives was an effective strategy, he would never have made it out of the 2015 primary let alone be running in the general for the third time. How much more negative can the media or Dems even be? Aren't they maxed out at this point?
Your statement that '"repeated exposure is also how unfamiliar and even abhorrent ideas become normalized" really resonated with me. I remember observing early on that Trump obviously understood that by repeating lies he would engrave them into people's brains. The man is a master propagandist , even though he's a sad excuse of a human being.
I am trying to be FOR Joe Biden instead of AGAINST that other guy. I am for Biden but what I mean about being FOR him is that I am focusing my energy and efforts to support him and therefore keeping him in the eyes and ears of people. I understand what you are saying about how people will remember and vote for the other guy because his name comes up more frequently than Biden's. When we point out the latest absurd and disturbing thing the other guy ha done we are only drawing attention to him. When we point out what Biden is doing and why we support him we are reinforcing him in peoples' minds (frames).
What I would love to see is a video showing wrong way/right way of how progressives should talk about our values. It's one thing to read about how framing in values is more effective than discussing issues and policy, but it's another to see it in action. Any suggestions?
Thank you, Jessica. All the commenters seem to understand that Antonia has explained propaganda as well as it can be done. What we experience most often we interpret as true. Rotary 4 way test: 1. Is it the truth? 2. Is it fair to all concerned? 3. Will it build good will and better friendships? 4. Is it fair to all concerned?
The last 3 define the truth for a Rotarian. For a lawyer, the jury verdict defines true. For the cook, the empty plate defines true. For the tailor, the fit defines true. For the builder, the house defines true. For the plumber, the flush defines true. For the electrician, lights on defined true. For the doctor, healing defines true. For the politician, election defines true.
We can try to make the clicks define true for 'press'. NO Votes for FEAR. Biden, Freedom From Fear How we can use the Four Freedoms from WWll?
Perhaps something to encourage turnout? I think the undecided voter is the unicorn that the media likes to talk about because it sells clicks. But how many voters in the US can there be who truly can’t make up their mind between the 2? It might be far smaller than the infrequent voter who is likely to vote Dem.
Perhaps a frame that will make it more likely for people to vote?
A statistically insignificant demographic. The ONLY demographic the Democratic Party should be concerned with is the 40-80 million registered non voters.
That is how a black man became President of the rascist shitshow that is‘Murikkka.
I read an article earlier today interviewing some Nikki Haley voters. They were asked how they would vote in November if the matchup becomes Biden vs Trump as expected. They interviewed 40 voters whom they had identified as not being typical MAGA voters but matched more the profile of moderates. Almost to a person, they said they would be voting for Trump. Their reasoning? Biden is old (!). Every. single. one. of. them. They even admitted they "disliked" Trump, even "hated" him, especially because of the insurrection and his behavior after the 2020 election. But they would be voting for him. Why? Because Biden is OLD! I can't wrap my head around this. How do we counter it?
"I will need your help to meet this challenge. Please reach out to me if you have any interest in helping me find the right language, educating me about the issues, sharing your research, or just brainstorming.” Antonia
Hello Antonia,
Here is some brainstorming from a retired psychologist and former marketing writer.
One difficulty we are facing here is the repetition of MAGA messaging over MAGA dominated media. Many voters who are tuned out and identify themselves as “independent“ do not really fit that label. Such independents may more accurately be described as easily hypnotized.
I wonder if there are alternative strategies for inoculating people against the compulsion that is activated by feeding the frame?
And before we get too alarmed about the vulnerability of uncommitted voters, there are many who are already committed to Democratic values. These include especially young people who care about specific issues, such as climate change, difficulty affording housing and school. Their connection to such issues is a frame. Many such voters are best reached by their peers in personal conversations.
An increasing number of people who subscribe to main stream media are writing comments and letters to the editor to hold them accountable for reinforcing framing and repeating fears that can demotivate Democratic voters. I have done so and have seen the influence start to take hold. Some opinion writers in those media are aware of the threat. We can quote their columns to amplify their voices.
A growing army of activists across the country are building a powerful ground game to reach uninformed, first-time and infrequent voters. The evolving strategy is to have multiple contacts and prime them to be ready to vote when the time comes. A similar approach is to contact neighbors who are identified as infrequent or uncommitted voters and to start having conversations with them now. We can also reach people nationally via post card and letter writing campaigns. This would be a kind of inoculation against the framing influence that you describe.
Also, there is the Words that W!n messaging strategy of a truth sandwich. You start with stating a shared value. Then you identify a villain generically. You complete that message with a vision. This kind of message is repeated in advertising, letters to the editor and social media.
Another way to accomplish the reinforcement of our own frame is to put Biden/Harris bumper stickers on our cars and similarly to add bumper stickers for local candidates to build name recognition.
And, we can post in all media about blue values. A really good place to start is the wonderful speech by Hakeem Jeffries when he accepted the position of Minority Leader of the House. If you look it up you will find that he went through the entire alphabet, contrasting Democratic with Republican values. Highlight the Democratic ones, many of them brief enough for bumper stickers and signs.
Let’s get to work. Together we will win this fight!
I have read several of George Lakoff's books and have listened to many of his YouTube videos. I understand frames and work to build some in my group of Democrats. I would be interested in hearing what you have to say.
I totally agree with this. If hammering Trump's negatives was an effective strategy, he would never have made it out of the 2015 primary let alone be running in the general for the third time. How much more negative can the media or Dems even be? Aren't they maxed out at this point?
Your statement that '"repeated exposure is also how unfamiliar and even abhorrent ideas become normalized" really resonated with me. I remember observing early on that Trump obviously understood that by repeating lies he would engrave them into people's brains. The man is a master propagandist , even though he's a sad excuse of a human being.
I struggle mightily with this question for my weekly TikTok My Three Things. Language matters if I can help in any way please do reach out.
I am trying to be FOR Joe Biden instead of AGAINST that other guy. I am for Biden but what I mean about being FOR him is that I am focusing my energy and efforts to support him and therefore keeping him in the eyes and ears of people. I understand what you are saying about how people will remember and vote for the other guy because his name comes up more frequently than Biden's. When we point out the latest absurd and disturbing thing the other guy ha done we are only drawing attention to him. When we point out what Biden is doing and why we support him we are reinforcing him in peoples' minds (frames).
So glad that Jessica Craven led me to you!
What I would love to see is a video showing wrong way/right way of how progressives should talk about our values. It's one thing to read about how framing in values is more effective than discussing issues and policy, but it's another to see it in action. Any suggestions?
Thank you, Jessica. All the commenters seem to understand that Antonia has explained propaganda as well as it can be done. What we experience most often we interpret as true. Rotary 4 way test: 1. Is it the truth? 2. Is it fair to all concerned? 3. Will it build good will and better friendships? 4. Is it fair to all concerned?
The last 3 define the truth for a Rotarian. For a lawyer, the jury verdict defines true. For the cook, the empty plate defines true. For the tailor, the fit defines true. For the builder, the house defines true. For the plumber, the flush defines true. For the electrician, lights on defined true. For the doctor, healing defines true. For the politician, election defines true.
We can try to make the clicks define true for 'press'. NO Votes for FEAR. Biden, Freedom From Fear How we can use the Four Freedoms from WWll?
Perhaps something to encourage turnout? I think the undecided voter is the unicorn that the media likes to talk about because it sells clicks. But how many voters in the US can there be who truly can’t make up their mind between the 2? It might be far smaller than the infrequent voter who is likely to vote Dem.
Perhaps a frame that will make it more likely for people to vote?
A statistically insignificant demographic. The ONLY demographic the Democratic Party should be concerned with is the 40-80 million registered non voters.
That is how a black man became President of the rascist shitshow that is‘Murikkka.
The entire piece is pointless.
I read an article earlier today interviewing some Nikki Haley voters. They were asked how they would vote in November if the matchup becomes Biden vs Trump as expected. They interviewed 40 voters whom they had identified as not being typical MAGA voters but matched more the profile of moderates. Almost to a person, they said they would be voting for Trump. Their reasoning? Biden is old (!). Every. single. one. of. them. They even admitted they "disliked" Trump, even "hated" him, especially because of the insurrection and his behavior after the 2020 election. But they would be voting for him. Why? Because Biden is OLD! I can't wrap my head around this. How do we counter it?