Moral Politics
George Lakoff describes the power of frames, or
emotional contexts, to drive decisions. In this book
Lakoff focuses on how morality drives both conservative
and progressive voters. Conservatives favor the
"Strict Father Model" while progressives pursue the
"Nurturing Parent" frame.
Lakoff argues that conservatives actively promote their
model, and this is a key component of their political
victories. Democratic Party officials, on the other hand,
often modify their views based upon what voters want.
Lakoff points out that this is doomed to failure.
Lakoff doesn't distinguish between when politicians
believe in their model's morality and when they use it
purely for manipulation. Lakoff also doesn't deal with
facts as much as attitudes. This can make Lakoff
frustrating to read, but Moral Politics is still a
major publication on American beliefs.
Not everyone agrees with Lakoff, but his structure of
moral decisions in politics and society is valuable to
browse.
