Framing 101: Metaphors, moral systems and the politics of your brain

Metaphors, moral systems and the politics of the brain play a big role in how we analyze the world at FrameLab. As our list of readers has grown over the past year, it occurs to us that not everyone is equally familiar with these concepts. And for others, a refresher is sometimes helpful.

These ideas are laid out “Moral Politics: How Liberals and Conservatives Think” as well as “Don’t Think of An Elephant: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate.” But the key points are also laid out succinctly in this one hour lecture from 2008.

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Over the past few years, we have seen these elements of moral politics manifest as a serious threat to democracy. Authoritarianism has emerged the dominant, defining and dangerous force in Republican politics. Understanding how morality and metaphor work, and how they impact our brains, is more crucial than ever.

If you take the time to watch the lecture, please let us know if you have any questions for us to answer in a future newsletter.

Thanks for reading!

Coming Soon: What Walter Isaacson’s new book tells us about the strict father politics of Elon Musk.

FrameLab is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.