Audiobook6 hours
The All New Don't Think of an Elephant!: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate
Written by George Lakoff
Narrated by Chris Sorensen
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
Since it became an international bestseller in 2004, Don't Think of an Elephant! has been the definitive handbook for progressives who want to articulate their goals and values to voters, understand how conservatives think and why people often vote against their best interests, and frame the political debate. Completely revised and updated to tackle today's issues, the 10th Anniversary Edition not only explains what framing is and how it works but also reveals why, after a brief stint of winning the framing wars in the 2008 elections, the Democrats have gone back to losing them, and what can be done about it. In this powerful new volume, George Lakoff delves into the issues that will dominate the midterm elections in 2014, the coming presidential elections, and beyond. He examines the current progressive and conservative frames on climate change, inequality, immigration, education, abortion, marriage, healthcare, national security, energy, and more. He explores why some issues have been difficult to frame, guides readers on how to frame complex issues without losing important context, and drives home the important differences between framing and spin. Do you think facts alone can win a debate? Do you think you know what makes a Tea Party follower tick? Do you think you understand how to communicate on key issues that can improve peoples' lives? Whether you answer yes or no, the insights in Don't Think of an Elephant! will not only surprise you, but also give you the tools you need to develop frames that work, and eradicate frames that backfire.
Author
George Lakoff
George Lakoff is Goldman Distinguished Professor of Cognitive Science and Linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller Don't Think of an Elephant!, among other works, and is America’s leading expert on the framing of political ideas.
More audiobooks from George Lakoff
The Political Mind: Why You Can't Understand 21st-Century American Politics with an 18th-Century Brain Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Don't Think of an Elephant: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
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Reviews for The All New Don't Think of an Elephant!
Rating: 4.3979591836734695 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
49 ratings7 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This is an essential guide to understanding how the political discussion is not about the topic itself, but how it is framed. For liberals, the fact that conservatives have been able to frame inheritance taxes (usually on previously "unrealized" and therefore never previously taxed gains) as a "death tax," means that the debate is over before it begins.Lakoff, experienced as a philosopher and cognitive scientist lays out the ways in which arguments are framed to lead people to "obvious" conclusions, which would not be obvious if there were different framing. This is a compelling, entertaining, and brief book. For a more in-depth discussion of framing and the standard constructs of liberals and conservatives, see the Lakoff's "Moral Politics: How Liberals and Conservatives Think."
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5As all the endorsements of this book state, it's necessary reading for "progressives."Not much to disagree with, except perhaps a tendency to oversimplify with the two family models Lakoff identifies. I think Lakoff also prematurely extends his analysis of American politics to politics tout court: I would venture that American politics is, among post-industrial countries, uniquely characterized by tendencies to vote according to one's values rather than according to a candidate/party's proposed policies.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Simple but a nice overview of framing from a lefty perspective
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Excellent book on understanding our values and ethics systems -- related to the power of propaganda and suggestive thinking. Regardless of political beliefs one should read this to understand the power of words and how they are manipulated to affect our emotive understandings.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is a must read for any progressive out there. Gives straight forward suggestions and explains why the Dems are losing debates time and again. A true teaching book.A Democrats Abroad Book Club recommendation.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5An interesting book that first got me to think about public political discourse as a way to influence how people view different issues. That is, when you hear a political topic being discussed try to not think about the two sides directly being discussed. Instead, try to think about how else one could view the issue. The presentation of the two sides could be just a way to keep your attention away from a third option. Lakoff tries to point this out by saying "Don't think of an elephant." No matter how hard you try, you'll always think of an elephant. Instead, when he says that, try to think about a dog instead....Remember, there is no spoon...
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I'm ashamed!!!I got this book in 2015. I put it on my 'to read' shelf and it has sat there, passed over for6 years. In my defence, the title is not promising: don't think of an elephant, made me think it was one of those 'choose your words carefully', type books. This is SO much more... if I can nail this 'framing' idea, it will have such an effect upon my ability to convert people (sounds worryingly religious!)