Rate this book

The Little Blue Book: The Essential Guide To Thinking And Talking Democratic (2012)

by George Lakoff(Favorite Author)

3.93 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

147670001X (ISBN13: 9781476700014)

languge

English

genre

Nonfiction

publisher

Free Press

review 1: As a writer, I find words fascinating. And I'm really interested in how the way we say things, and how the language that we choose, makes a difference in how our message is received. This book explores how language and politics are subconsciously interwoven, and I found it incredibly interesting. "Language makes use of these deep modes of thought. In the brain, words are defined in terms of these brain mechanisms and not simply in terms of condition in the external world. The link between words and the world goes through the brain and uses those largely unconscious mechanisms. Most political leader and policymakers, perhaps especially progressives and those in the Democratic Party, are not aware of this science. They have been taught, and still believe, that people are at ... moreall times consciously aware of what they think and that words are defined directly in terms of the world. They commonly believe that everyone reasons the same way and that if they just tell people the facts, most people will reason to the right conclusion. But since this is scientifically false, it keeps not happening."
review 2: An short, quick read with excellent advice for how to talk about politic--advice Democrats seem to have been ignoring for years while Republicans win the battle of rhetoric. Useful for any one who talks with others about politics--great advice on how to think about language but also about how others hear and react to language, reflecting Lakoff's scholarship on linguistics but in layperson's terms.I got to moderate a Commonwealth Club talk by Lakoff--introducing him and then doing the Q&A after his talk--a great experience with a very sophisticated audience. less

Download links for: The Little Blue Book: The Essential Guide to Thinking and Talking Democratic

Advertising