Idea Framing, Metaphors, and Your Brain - George Lakoff

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2008/06/20/George_Lakoff_on_The_Political_Mind

UC-Berkeley Linguistics Professor George Lakoff discusses how idea framing and metaphors contribute to shaping the way we think.

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UC Berkeley Professor George Lakoff discusses concepts from his new book, The Political Mind: Why You Can't Understand 21st-Century American Politics with an 18th-Century Brain.

George P. Lakoff is a professor of linguistics (in particular, cognitive linguistics) at the University of California, Berkeley, where he has taught since 1972.
Although some of his research involves questions traditionally pursued by linguists, such as the conditions under which a certain linguistic construction is grammatically viable, he is most famous for his ideas about the centrality of metaphor to human thinking, political behavior and society.

He is particularly famous for his concept of the "embodied mind" which he has written about in relation to mathematics. In recent years he has applied his work to the realm of politics, and founded a progressive think tank, the Rockridge Institute.

Joe Epstein is the former President of The Commonwealth Club's Board of Governors.

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[csilva85]

@sk8bow - Good luck, sk8...

[sk8bow]

@csilva85

you know, that makes total sense.

i have just been given very good advise from someone i may never meet. i love the internet.

who needs a shrink when i have my own personal shrink online!

thank you silva.

really, thank you!!!

:)

[csilva85]

@sk8bow - ...that means you're going to have to learn to forgive yourself....

A necessary step in the process of 'letting go'....

[sk8bow]

@csilva85

now i feel like crap. am i that bad????

:P

[csilva85]

@sk8bow - [continued]...honestly assessing and educating yourself about power distortions, dependency issues [if any], your own 'coping style', and your own level of participation [if any] in your conflict(s) - this is especially true when the conflict is part of an ongoing process...

You will need 'healing', as well as recognition and nurturing of your own inner strengths, and the ability to reach out, network, and intereact for help/support...

[sk8bow]

@csilva85

hey thanks. that gave me a different way at looking at myself. 

[csilva85]

@sk8bow - That [letting go] can be a challenge... All humans have a need for problem solving, but the trap of dualism [dualistic thinking] makes it appear as if the only choices are (a) persecution/blame, or (b) worship/reward. More positive choices would be to: identify distorted behavior [i.e. abuse, assault, aggression], and seek accountability [rather than blame]. You will have to look inward to let go of any identity distortions you may have, as well as honestly assessing your...[continued

[sk8bow]

@csilva85

all i want to do is to learn how to let conflict go and not need to confront and compete. it's not necessary at all. this is how i feel about my life, and i speak only for myself.

[csilva85]

@sk8bow - [continued] the challenging idea must either dominate them, or, he/she must dominate the idea....

I do not believe this is a "natural behavior...developed through...evolution...".

It is part of a 'coping mechanism"...the way that human beings react in the face of conflict...It is well established among psychologists that there is more than one way that humans deal with conflict; the urge to 'dominate' is only but one possible coping mechanism...

there are others....

[csilva85]

@sk8bow - I would not say that "verticalization" is a "formality in educational..."

Yet...references to 'superiority' or 'dominance' would directly follow from any verticalized thought process...If a person has consciously (or unconsciously) internalized a 'circuit' such as verticalization where 'better' or 'correct' ideas are 'superior', when that person encounters any idea that challenges the 'better' idea he/she will FEEL that the challenging idea must either dominate...[continued]