Stories by George Lakoff

George Lakoff is Goldman Distinguished Professor of Cognitive Science and Linguistics at the University of California at Berkeley. He is co-author, with Elisabeth Wehling, of The Little Blue Book.

Bush: It's Escalation, Stupid.

Posted on: Feb 14, 2007, Source: AlterNet

The media and progressives' ability to reframe Bush's plan to send more troops to Iraq has changed the public's perception of Republicans' Iraq agenda.

Bush 'Staying the Course' Right Over a Cliff

Posted on: Oct 29, 2006, Source: AlterNet

What the president is discovering is that it's not so easy to make us forget his position on Iraq: The laws of language are hard to defy.

12 Traps That Keep Progressives From Winning

Posted on: Sep 25, 2006, Source: AlterNet

Progressives need to start talking about values and avoid the common pitfalls that cause us to lose voters' hearts and minds.

How Bush's Metaphorical War Became Real

Posted on: Sep 11, 2006, Source: AlterNet

The 9/11 attacks were a crime -- a crime against humanity. But Bush called it a war, then used that frame to justify an invasion he had planned since his first days in office.

Bush Is Not Incompetent

Posted on: Jul 2, 2006, Source: AlterNet

Bush's bumbling folksiness causes progressives to disregard him -- but he has been overwhelmingly competent in advancing his harmful conservative agenda.

Republicans frame immigration

Posted on: May 25, 2006, Source: AlterNet

How conservatives are winning the war of words and how to change it.

Framing Katrina

Posted on: Oct 17, 2005, Source: The American Prospect

With millions of Americans displaced, injured or dead in the disaster's aftermath, America watched modern conservative ideology -- less government, lower taxes, a strong defense -- crumble.

The Post-Katrina Era

Posted on: Sep 6, 2005, Source: AlterNet

Katrina's tragic consequences were not just due to incompetence, natural disaster, or Bush policies (though he is accountable). This is a failure of moral and political philosophy.

Though politically useful for Bush and his minions, the 'war frame' never fit the reality of terrorism. It was successful at consolidating power -- but counterproductive in dealing with the real threat.

The 'Language of Values' in Politics

Posted on: Jul 21, 2005, Source: AlterNet

Renowned cognitive scientist George Lakoff expounds on how moral and spiritual beliefs affect political beliefs and actions.

Start Making Sense: Is Liberalism Dead?

Posted on: Jun 15, 2005, Source: AlterNet

Is liberalism dead? What will it take for us to bring about a rebirth of inspiration, hope and optimism for a new American future?

Start Making Sense: How To Talk To America

Posted on: Jun 6, 2005, Source: AlterNet

Those who dwell in the nation's progressive oases must learn to communicate and connect with a much broader swath of Americans. Our panel of progressive thinkers tackles the problem.

The Foreign Language of Choice

Posted on: Jun 1, 2005, Source: AlterNet

Winning the debate over unwanted pregnancies requires Democrats to embrace four powerfully moral ideas -- and none of them have to do with 'choice.'

Excerpt: Interview with George Lakoff

Posted on: Apr 20, 2005, Source: AlterNet

An excerpt from the <i><a href="http://www.alternet.org/sms/">Start Making Sense</a></i> section Understanding the Right Wing.

The Progressive Morality

Posted on: Nov 23, 2004, Source: The Nation

If progressives communicate their values clearly, most people will recognize them as their own, and more deeply American than those currently put forth by conservatives.

A Man of His Words

Posted on: Sep 7, 2004, Source: AlterNet

In this excerpt from his new book, "Don't Think of an Elephant!" George Lakoff talks about how transforming the language of politics can help win the good fight.

Freedom, Liberty, Freedom

Posted on: Sep 3, 2004, Source: AlterNet

George W. Bush yet again used the crutches of "liberty" and "freedom" to frame his candidacy.

Kerry Was Framed

Posted on: Sep 2, 2004, Source: AlterNet

Wednesday's Republican convention speeches framed John Kerry using deceptive and dishonest language.

What's in a Word?

Posted on: Feb 17, 2004, Source: AlterNet

The gay marriage issue is not just about same-sex couples. It is about which values will dominate in our society.

The Hidden State of the Union

Posted on: Jan 26, 2004, Source: AlterNet

The President's speech, like most right-wing discourse these days, was in a kind of code, based on a moral system that not all Americans share.

The Frame Around Arnold

Posted on: Oct 12, 2003, Source: AlterNet

An analysis of Schwarzenegger's victory shows how conservatives use framing to win elections – and that Democrats ignore the power of framing at their peril.

Framing a Democratic Agenda

Posted on: Sep 23, 2003, Source: The American Prospect

Here is a cognitive scientist's prescription for progressives: Say what you believe and say it well, without hesitation and with moral fervor.

Betrayal of Trust

Posted on: Sep 14, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Whether or not the Bush administration lied is the wrong question to ask. The real issue is betrayal of trust.

Metaphor and War, Again

Posted on: Mar 17, 2003, Source: AlterNet

As in his father's Iraq war, President Bush has floated two powerful storylines to effectively, and dangerously, frame America as both victim and hero.

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