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Gopher
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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 Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2006 5:59 pm Post subject: Talking Right: Why the Left is Losing, Linguistically |
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In his new book, Talking Right, linguist Geoff Nunberg examines the parlance of the American political right. Conservatives, Nunberg notes, have been remarkably effective at creating a language through which to convey their agenda. The subtitle of his book illustrates what he's getting at: "How Conservatives Turned Liberalism into a Tax-Raising, Latte-Drinking, Sushi-Eating, Volvo-Driving, New York Times-Reading, Body-Piercing, Hollywood-Loving, Left-Wing Freak Show."
Nunberg, who teaches at the University of California-Berkeley, is a researcher at the Center for the Study of Language and Information at Stanford University. He is also the author of Going Nucular and The Way We Talk Now. |
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5536444 |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2006 6:15 pm Post subject: |
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It isn't that original of a thesis. It was covered by another UC-Berkeley linguist:
Don't think of an Elephant by George Lakoff
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| Lakoff, a cognitive scientist and linguist at Berkeley, believes he knows why conservatives have been so successful in recent years and how progressives like himself can beat them at their own game. This slim book presents a simple, accessible overview of his theory of "moral politics" and a call to action for Democrats mourning November�s election results. Lakoff�s persuasive argument focuses on two ideas: what he calls "framing," and the opposition of liberals� and conservatives� concepts of the family. Conservatives, he says, have easily framed tax cuts as "tax relief" because of widespread, preexisting views of taxes as burdensome, and liberals have had little success conveying the idea that taxes are a social responsibility. In Lakoff�s view, conservatives adhere to a "strict father" model of family, in contrast to liberals� "nurturant parent" view, and he sees this difference as the key to understanding most of the two sides� clashes. His writing is clear and succinct, and he illuminates his theories through easy-to-follow examples from current politics. Although the book has been updated since the election, many of its sections were originally written long beforehand, so some comments are outdated (at one point Lakoff wonders, for example, whether George Bush�s support of the gay marriage amendment will help him keep the White House). However, the process of regaining power may be a long one for Democrats, and Lakoff�s insights into how to deal with conservatives and appeal to the general public are bound to light a fire under many progressives. |
I don't fully endorse this book. The areas where he focuses on his speciality (lingustics) are good, but he has some chapters that are carbon copies of Michael Moore's books and movies minus the humor. |
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ddeubel
Joined: 20 Jul 2005
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| Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2006 6:22 pm Post subject: |
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So what you are saying is that the Right is better at "Propaganda". Nothing new there in Western societies, the right has the long tradition of fascism to draw upon.
I just don't get why this should be a "good" thing, especially for an educated populace. Jingoism, slogans, dumbing down should not be something a politician concerned for truth should be proud of participating in. Life is not simple. Plain spokeness is to be admired but when it comes to linguistically twisting messages to gain power -- the right can have it, if that is the price of power................
The Right is always about bashing / labeling their opponents. Dirty tactics, negative politics (as with the quip about latte drinking, volvo driving etc...). Stereotyping. When in fact the left is very diverse and broad in its capturing of the human imagination. It stands upon the principal of human rights and equality before the law. Nothing more and that takes in a lot of humanity.
DD |
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Hater Depot
Joined: 29 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2006 7:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Yeah, it's all true. But I'm tired of seeing liberals whine and blubber about how mean conservatives are, when they steadfastly refuse to hire competent campaign managers and ad designers. |
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Gopher
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2006 7:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Hater Depot wrote: |
| ...they steadfastly refuse to hire competent campaign managers and ad designers. |
Sometimes they get it together. Remember, Clinton assembled a first-rate team and reaped the benefits, twice. "It's the economy, stupid."
Politics is an still an art. Focusing on pure polemics, especially bitter polemics, is not advisable. |
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Nowhere Man
Joined: 08 Feb 2004
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| Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2006 8:57 pm Post subject: ... |
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One reason that Dean would've been a better choice than Kerry.
Too bad we insist that certain states set the tone for primaries instead of rotating (sorry to go OT). |
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Gopher
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2006 9:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Nowhere Man wrote: |
| Too bad...that certain states set the tone for primaries instead of rotating. |
Couldn't agree with you more. (I don't know anyone who "insists" on it, though; I think it is probably more inertia than anything else.)
Also, I missed this reference to "dirty tactics, negative politics," above. California Republicans are running a very negative campaign against the Democratic contenter for governor. However, all of their material has come from the Democratic primaries, where the two leading candidates smeared each other in one of the dirtiest campaigns I can recall seeing...Conservatives have no monopoloy on these tactics. |
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igotthisguitar
Joined: 08 Apr 2003
Location: South Korea (Permanent Vacation)
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| Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2006 10:54 pm Post subject: |
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Don't fall for all that phony US - THEM / left - right hyped up nonsense.
It's all the same people, faces & families. Fact is they've a lot more in common that what they'll ever admit. |
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