From: Chuck Watts
Greetings, progressive friends,
Thank you for our lively debate last night at the Progressive Happy Hour concerning the theme of my primary participation. If we are to win in the 21st century, it is important to embrace the latest insights of the brain on political discourse. “Political framing IS applied cognitive science,” according to Dr. George Lakoff.
Here is an article by my consultant, Joe Brewer, that outlines the cognitive argument for using Occupy Compassion for the theme of my participation in the 2012 primary process.
Many of you (most of you?) are rejecting Occupy Compassion because it makes no gramatical sense and therefore cheapens my efforts and makes them ineffectual and calls into question your own participation with me. Mary Tom believes I have abandoned the need for good grammar or good word smithing, something she can offer, which saddens her deeply. My dilemma is wanting to use our mother tongue well AND apply cognitive science well. You lobbied very hard last night at the Progressive Happy Hour that I must add the word “with” to the above poster. I have tentatively asked my designer to add with in extremely small way using a very thin font to that it cannot be seen unless standing very close to the poster.
Cynthia, please send me both options, i.e. using with and not using with.
I offer this as a compromise and am copying my consultant for his views of this compromise. Meanwhile, I hope you will read Brewer’s article and offer any insights of its efficacy on your feeling better about the use of Occupy Compassion without a “with.”
A quote from the article that is pertinent to my theme’s cognitive correctness versus its gramatical correctness is:
– “Yet we may not be aware that it makes sense to us as a kind of spatial logic, built on the conceptual metaphor of An Emotion Is A Spatial Container.”
Also, concerning several of you pointing out that occupation is a military term and therefore unwanted, Brewer speaks to the cognitive reason why occupation is such a powerful and positive word. Here’s another excerpt:
– “Note how the logic of occupation is profoundly different from that of war:
– During an occupation the use of military tactics to resolve issues tends to fail. Diplomacy and political solutions are what is needed to resolve conflict;
– During an occupation the death of civilians is an unacceptable loss of innocent lives. Civilian deaths are seen as unavoidable “collateral damage” during a war;
– During an occupation the role of politicians is to be humanitarian leaders, elevating human security in the region impacted by conflict. Politicians become military leaders during times of war and often seek consolidation of war powers that restrict civil liberties at home and abroad.”
Brewer speaks to both Occupy frames, that includes 99%, and acknowledges its evocative power. He also goes on to say more about the Occupy frame, which I have chosen to use during this primary process.
– “The power of the Occupy frame is two-fold: (1) It is a verb that represents action taken by one who has power to influence the world, and (2) it demarcates an abstract spatial location that is scalable. The significance of the first feature should be clear — to feel one’s personal empowerment by taking action and claiming a space is deeply moving. One who can stake a claim to space has power. And that power gives them a sense of control over their destiny. This is the underlying motivator for collective action that has captured the imaginations (and bodies!) of protestors around the world, from Tahrir Square to Zuccoti Park.”
– “The second feature is what allowed OWS to go viral and spread across the globe. The demarcation of abstract space, when overlaid on top of real-world physical locations, is a recipe for unconstrained growth. More simply, it is the act of claiming a space that offers a feeling of empowerment. While one physical location was claimed in a New York City Park, the concept of occupation could be generically applied to all physical spaces. This is why protestors in other cities were inclined to claim the OWS brand and stake out their own turf. And, just as the emotional experience of despair is conceptualized as an abstract space, the Occupy frame allows anyone and everyone to claim cultural turf by occupying democracy, love, citizenship, compassion, freedom, politics, and more.”
Finally, Brewer offers seven actions progressives can do to take advantage of the occupy frames to frame our future debate in our parties. Also, my intent is to incite debate about compassion / empathy as the core value of any thing good that can come from public government. I truly believe that debate started last night and continues.
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Caring citizens communicating American values are the solution to expanding liberty and justice for all,
Chuck Watts, Founder
Empathy Surplus Project http://empathysurplus.com
Empathy Surplus Project Twitter Page
Empathy Surplus Project Facebook Page
Empathy Surplus Project Google+ Page
Empathy Surplus Project Compassionate Action Network Page
We The People White House Petition – Moral Measurement Tool of Economy; Create a petition; https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/%21/petition/create-moral-measurement-tool-our-economy-gpi-genuine-progress-indicator-adopted-recently-maryland/RBm0kWh9?utm_source=wh.gov&utm_medium=shorturl&utm_campaign=shorturl