George Lakoff: How to Frame Yourself - A Memo for Occupy Wall Street

[WilliamPitt]

How to Frame Yourself: A Memo for Occupy Wall Street
By George Lakoff
t r u t h o u t | Op-Ed

Wednesday 19 October 2011

I was asked weeks ago by some in the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement to make suggestions for how to frame the movement. I have hesitated so far because I think the movement should be framing itself. It's a general principle: Unless you frame yourself, others will frame you - the media, your enemies, your competitors, your well-meaning friends. I have so far hesitated to offer suggestions. But the movement appears to be maturing and entering a critical time when small framing errors could have large negative consequences. So, I thought it might be helpful to accept the invitation and start a discussion of how the movement might think about framing itself.

About framing: It's normal. Everybody engages in it all the time. Frames are just structures of thought that we use every day. All words in all languages are defined in terms of frame circuits in the brain. But, ultimately, framing is about ideas, about how we see the world, which determines how we act.

In politics, frames are part of competing moral systems that are used in political discourse and in charting political action. In short, framing is a moral enterprise: it says what the character of a movement is. All politics is moral. Political figures and movements always make policy recommendations claiming they are the right things to do. No political figure ever says do what I say because it's wrong! Or because it doesn't matter! Some moral principles or other lie behind every political policy agenda.

The rest: http://www.truth-out.org/how-frame-yourself-framing-memo-occupy-wall-street/1319031142

[kentuck]

1. Lakoff comes up with some very good ideas from time to time...

This is one of those times.

K&R

[kentuck]

2. I think this is very good advice:

<snip>
A Moral Focus for Occupy Wall Street

I think it is a good thing that the occupation movement is not making specific policy demands. If it did, the movement would become about those demands. If the demands were not met, the movement would be seen as having failed.

It seems to me that the OWS movement is moral in nature, that occupiers want the country to change its moral focus. It is easy to find useful policies; hundreds have been suggested. It is harder to find a moral focus and stick to it. If the movement is to frame itself, it should be on the basis of its moral focus, not a particular agenda or list of policy demands. If the moral focus of America changes, new people will be elected and the policies will follow. Without a change of moral focus, the conservative worldview that has brought us to the present disastrous and dangerous moment will continue to prevail.

We Love America. We're Here to Fix It

I see OWS as a patriotic movement, based on a deep and abiding love of country - a patriotism that it is not just about the self-interests of individuals, but about what the country is and is to be. Do Americans care about other citizens, or mainly just about themselves? That's what love of America is about. I, therefore, think it is important to be positive, to be clear about loving America, seeing it in need of fixing and not just being willing to fix it, but being willing to take to the streets to fix it. A populist movement starts with the people seeing that they are all in the same boat and being ready to come together to fix the leaks.

[Vincardog]

3. A populist movement starts with the people seeing that they are all in the same boat and being ready

to come together to fix the leaks.

[SpiralHawk]

4. "We love America. We're here to fix it." - OWS

Great sign...

[Spitzbub]

5. Well-stated: A Moral Focus

I am already really tired of commentators (even well-meaning ones I respect, like Taibbi) urging and suggesting OWS demands. Reading their pronouncements, how can you not think, 'Who asked you? This isn't your movement - you're not out there!'

The occupiers are doing just what they need to do. They have already changed the debate. Look at the Republicans, who have gone from ignoring, to ridiculing, to obsessed about them. Viva OWS.

[MFrohike]

6. Very good

On the topic of moral focus, I've wondered about the insanity of people who seek to legislate morality while simultaneously promoting policies that atomize communities. If that doesn't make sense, I don't get social conservatives who support economic mobility, or its policies, as a matter of course. These are recent thoughts, so I don't claim to be thorough. I've wondered if stopping the race to the bottom by the states might be a way to slow down or reverse some of this mobility, as a means of strengthening communities. I generally think it's a good thing when the people in an area take charge and ownership of the area. If nothing else, they have a far greater interest in protecting their area economically, culturally, environmentally, etc. Just some thoughts.

[Douglas Carpenter]

7. excellent article!!! kick and recommend!!

[kentuck]

8. Kick b/c this is important for the movement to know...

This is the next step, in my opinion.

[stevenleser]

9. The framing was there all along. It just took me and others some time to see it.

It's about the 99% and furthering their interests. It's about fighting policies that favor the 1% over the 99%.

Doesnt get more simple and easy to follow than that. Once you get away from that, you start putting daylight between yourself and OWS.

[Chiquitita]

10. This is the summary at the end....

"OWS is a moral and patriotic movement. It sees Democracy as flowing from citizens caring about one another as well as themselves, and acting with both personal and social responsibility. Democratic governance is about The Public, and the liberty that The Public provides for a thriving Private Sphere. From such a democracy flows fairness, which is incompatible with a hugely disproportionate distribution of wealth. And from the sense of care implicit in such a democracy flows a commitment to the preservation of nature.

From what I have seen of most members of OWS, your individual concerns all flow from one moral focus."