Are the Dems in DC starting to practice Lakoff?

[zaj]

It just occured to me that the Dems in DC (Durbin, Dean, etc) might just be brilliant because they are now listening to (and practicing) the teachings of George Lakoff.

I have begun to wonder if the recent "harsh rhetoric" from Dean and Durbin are part of an effort to force the discussion of Bush policies to include images of Hitler. By saying such dramatic things, it forces Republicans to respond (which forces them to also mention Bush/Hitler in the same breath).

It's the fundamental underpinning of the title of Lakoff's primer: "Don't think of an Elephant". You can't not think of an elephant once you've been told "Don't think of an elephant". It's too late at that point. You've already pictured the elephant. Same is true when Durbin compares Gitmo to Germany. The conservative media starts talking about the "outrage" of comparing Gitmo to the "Nazi's". Oops, now people are thinking of Nazi's, even when you are trying to stop them from doing so.

Are they brilliant, or am I just over analyzing this?

[LightningFlash]

1. Great observations!!!

It looks like you are right, Dean is hitting it home!!!!! :thumbsup:

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. I had that thought a while ago

and they are also repeating what many of us are saying in private....

[shance]

3. I think more Dems are feeling compelled to tell the truth.

Dean and a few others have been calling spades for a while. Courage is indeed contagious, and thank goodness for individuals like Dean and Conyers and those who have a healthy dose of courage.

While many including Dean have been emulating Lakoff, the bigger and more significant factor is I believe Democrats are feeling more motivated to tell the truth, which is often a creation of having had enough of the promoted insanity and wrongdoing surrounding us.

In other words they are angry and now feeling it is more important to show their anger than to refrain from using it.

Something many Dems need to realize: many Dems have been taught to suppress their anger and be "good", which is a highly self defeating trait to teach a child and or individuals in a world of those who will abuse those who are instinctually good by nature and by reaction.

The bigger challenge and necessary challenge for those who are not aggressive by nature are to learn to be aggressive when self preservation is at risk, and for those who are aggressive by first instinct to learn to be calmer and more tolerant of other people and their beliefs.

Anger is very important, more importantly it is a part of every single human being alive. Many peaceful individuals do no service by trying to erase this from the equation. It is part of humans and so far we have not learn how to fully channel our energy to positive use.

Until that time, everyone must learn how to fight and punch back, no matter how distasteful to those of us where its not our first instinct. No matter how much we want to convince ourselves that 'love will find a way' with bullies, it simply won't. They don't in any way respect diplomacy and moreover, see it as cowardice and weakness. It is simply not in their value system.

However, it appears a big stick as Teddy Roosevelt put it and a quiet voice will. In other words there are still those who work from a primitive level and yet still hold very powerful positions in society. The problem with many Dems or peacemakers at heart lies in not directing their angry energy correctly and being afraid to direct it at those who are the core initiators of the abuse.

A friend of mine said the other day that Democrats need Assertiveness and Kick boxing classes while Republicans need Anger management and socialization classes. I believe she could not have been more accurate.

[knowbody0]

4. this IS a dirty war

gloves off!