dagblog - Comments for "Lakoff: Trump is Winning the Language War"

There is a Catch 22 involved

moat — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 19:30:52 +0000

In reply to Lakoff: Trump is Winning the Language War

There is a Catch 22 involved with the suggestion:

This is a crisis. Certain rules don’t apply in a crisis, especially the rule that the press must amplify the president’s words, whatever they are.

One of the clearest indications that there is a critical problem is provided by the problem itself. However high or low the volume is turned up to, the state of emergency is deplored and celebrated at the same time.

Imagine that you are working far from home with no easy way to get back. On the webcam, you suddenly see vandals break in and start trashing the place. The crew you hired to take care of the grounds are brought into view wearing cuffs and duct tape. Your metabolism quivers in the futility of rage. Long, deep breaths prevent you from being enveloped within an adrenergic storm.
Sounds of cheering are now coming from the adjacent hotel room. When you go to investigate, the door is ajar. Nobody is in the room but a large TV displaying a studio audience watching you watching your webcam five minutes ago.

Videodrome this, Mr Lakofff. I believe Baudrillard just stole your Prius.

Lakoff's deconstruction of

Michael Wolraich — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 14:15:00 +0000

In reply to Thanks for making sure we

Lakoff's deconstruction of Trump's linguistics tactics is spot on, but he misunderstands the media. The halcyon days when powerful news editors decreed what news was fit to print are long gone. News corporations are strapped for revenue and competing with a constant buzz of viral content--much of it focused on the mesmerizing Trump Show. In other words, news editors aren't covering Trump because he's playing them; they're covering him because he's playing their customers. I'm sure that every self-respecting editor would love to be a modern-day Horace Greeley, sagely guiding public opinion through the shoals of Trump's linguistic chicanery. They just can't afford it.

Here is how a news website

rmrd0000 — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 12:27:49 +0000

In reply to Thanks for making sure we

Here is how a news website run by blacks handled the meeting with Kim. They note that North Korea will not give up nukes but they may build a fast food restaurant.

https://www.theroot.com/north-korea-wont-give-up-nuclear-weapons-but-theyre-wi-1826428662

The same website reports that Huckabee-Sanders may leave her job by calling her the Wizardess of weird-ass lies.

https://www.theroot.com/white-house-wizardess-of-weird-ass-lies-will-willingly-1826815355

There is sarcasm and there is name-calling, but the message about Trump gets across. Mainstream media is never going to be as bold as Lakoff desires. MSNBC corrects lies, but they lead by repeating Trump’s message. I’m sure that there are other Progress websites that lead their articles by pointing out the lies upfront. MSM is not going to be too harsh because they want access to the White House.

BBC doesn't deserve the

PeraclesPlease — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 08:53:04 +0000

In reply to Thanks for making sure we

BBC doesn't deserve the smooch, nor the other big names - they're arguably more the problem than TMZ.

Carole Cadwalladr does investigative reporting on Isabel Oakeshott, and BBC invites Oakeshott on to explain away, without comments by Cadwalladr. Lying was never easier. Last month, BBC put a post by Gingrich's son - head of MAGA - as a top web page story as a "3rd party opinion". This is all behavior from 25 years ago - the right doesn't play nearly so nice and traditional anymore - the Beeb et al are just played as suckers, shocked I tell you shocked at every time they get played.

I’ve deleted this tweet because Rob Burley - head of live political programmes at BBC - has pointed out he doesn’t oversee Question Time it turns out. That’s the remit of the head of appears-live-but-not-live political programmes at the BBC. pic.twitter.com/3XJLVgLjkz
— Carole Cadwalladr (@carolecadwalla) June 14, 2018

Thanks for making sure we

artappraiser — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 04:54:50 +0000

In reply to Lakoff: Trump is Winning the Language War

Thanks for making sure we wouldn't miss this, I probably would have. Edit to add: it is unusual in that he's not just analyzing, he's offering suggested solutions for beseiged White House beat reporters frustrated by being played but not knowing what to do about it since editors/producers don't seem to be giving much guidance:

Trump’s tweets are not random, they are strategic. There are four types: 1) Pre-emptive framing, to get a framing advantage. 2) Diversion, to divert attention when news could embarrass him. 3) Deflection: Shift the blame to others. And 4) trial balloon – test how much you can get away with. Reporting, and therefore repeating, Trump’s tweets just gives him more power. There is an alternative. Report the true frames that he is trying to pre-empt. Report the truth that he is trying to divert attention from. Put the blame where it belongs. Bust the trial balloon. Report what the strategies are trying to hide [.....]

How can the press do a better job? Here are some basic suggestions:

First, journalists must understand how propaganda works on the brain and grasp the cognitive science that marketers of propaganda have implicitly mastered: frames, metaphors, narratives and brain basics.

Second, keep a steely focus on the fact that American democracy is under attack by a foreign power, possibly with collusion from the sitting president’s campaign. This is a crisis. Certain rules don’t apply in a crisis, especially the rule that the press must amplify the president’s words, whatever they are.

Third, stop letting Trump control the news cycle. Newsgathering should be a serious affair controlled by editors whose power rivals any politician’s. Stop chasing his tweets and elevating every sideshow. Start every story with truth and the context of what’s really important to citizens in a democracy. More BBC, less TMZ.

Fourth, don’t spread lies. Don’t privilege Trump’s lies by putting their specific language in the headlines [....]

Most notably, I think, he's giving them and editors support for not following the usual "rules".