Lakoff on Language, or How We Need to Take Back the ”Good Words”

George Lakoff, the author of “Don't Think of an Elephant: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate--The Essential Guide for Progressives“ has as new DVD out about taking back our language from the Conservatives.

In case you don’t know the name, Lakoff has studied the use of metaphors for several decades. After the 2004 election, he wrote “Don’t Think of an Elephant,” the book that (according to Debbie Stabenow) became the Bible of the Democratic caucus in the Senate. He has a new, inexpensive DVD out “How Democrats and Progressives Can Win:Solutions from George Lakoff. In it, he describes how the Conservatives spent 30 years laying the groundwork to take over the government, and how they studied ways to use language (metaphors) to do it.

As we approach the November elections, I understand how crucial it is for us to counter the Republican cant that we will be hearing. But, as Lakoff demonstrates, we can’t do it by using the Republican “frames,” we need to create our own.

Lakoff is correct: we have to take back the language if we are ever going to win the swing voters and moderate Republicans. This is an important DVD. Don’t miss it!