So I was listening to NPR in the car yesterday and they had a very interesting interview with a linguistics professor from UC Berkeley Geoffery Nunberg. He was explaining how the phrase making by conservatives has changed politics in the U.S. from philosophical differences to lifestyle differences. How the conservatives have a one size fits all narrative whereas the liberals do not.
As he puts it, conservatives' main goal wasn't to win voters over to their positions on healthcare, education, or the environment. They had a much more dramatic ambition. By changing the meaning of words like "values," "government," "liberal"; "faith," and "freedom," conservatives have shifted the political center of gravity of the language itself to the right. "Whatever our politics," Nunberg observes, "when we talk about politics nowadays, we can't help using language that embodies a conservative world-view."
His book is called Talking Right. How conservatives turned liberalism into a tax-raising, latte-drinking, sushi-eating, Volvo-driving, New York Times reading, Hollywood-loving, Left-Wing Freak Show.
As well as brie-eating. As it happens, the majority of brie consumers are Republicans," Nunberg writes. "But whoever actually buys the stuff, it stands for the Right's stereotype of liberals – soft, pale, runny, and French.
The "L" used to stand for the “I have no problem they’re moving into our neighborhood as long as they don’t live next to me attitude of the 60’s” to today’s meaning of profligacy, anarchy, east coast/west coast elitism, idealism, softness, and irresponsibility.
At the same time, Democrats have proven unable to handle the "class warfare" charge. Meanwhile, for Republicans, "entrepreneur" has replaced "capitalist" (had bad connotations). Another part of Democrats' problem is that the average citizen doesn't understand economics very well.
Sounds like the left needs a lesson in phrase making.
BTW I like brie and sushi. You?
As he puts it, conservatives' main goal wasn't to win voters over to their positions on healthcare, education, or the environment. They had a much more dramatic ambition. By changing the meaning of words like "values," "government," "liberal"; "faith," and "freedom," conservatives have shifted the political center of gravity of the language itself to the right. "Whatever our politics," Nunberg observes, "when we talk about politics nowadays, we can't help using language that embodies a conservative world-view."
His book is called Talking Right. How conservatives turned liberalism into a tax-raising, latte-drinking, sushi-eating, Volvo-driving, New York Times reading, Hollywood-loving, Left-Wing Freak Show.
As well as brie-eating. As it happens, the majority of brie consumers are Republicans," Nunberg writes. "But whoever actually buys the stuff, it stands for the Right's stereotype of liberals – soft, pale, runny, and French.
The "L" used to stand for the “I have no problem they’re moving into our neighborhood as long as they don’t live next to me attitude of the 60’s” to today’s meaning of profligacy, anarchy, east coast/west coast elitism, idealism, softness, and irresponsibility.
At the same time, Democrats have proven unable to handle the "class warfare" charge. Meanwhile, for Republicans, "entrepreneur" has replaced "capitalist" (had bad connotations). Another part of Democrats' problem is that the average citizen doesn't understand economics very well.
Sounds like the left needs a lesson in phrase making.
BTW I like brie and sushi. You?
