Thinking Points
Thinking Points: A Guide to Progressive Framing
The book Thinking Points: Communicating Our American Values and Vision, published by George Lakoff and the Rockridge Institute, was intended to be used as a progressive’s handbook for progressive framing and political change. You can download Thinking Points in its entirety or download individual chapters below.
We feel it is imperative that politicians and activists learn how to do progressive framing themselves. It is the core reason Cognitive Policy Works exists and is why we host the Rockridge Institute archive and Thinking Points. Cognitive Policy Works offers training, strategic advising, and policy briefings in addition to the resources and research we provide online. See our consulting page for more information.
We would like to draw your attention to the discussions held on the Rockridge Nation community blog, facilitated by our founder, Joe Brewer while he was at the Rockridge Institute, because they take Thinking Points as an inspiration for deeper discussions about the political mind. The discussions conducted throughout the early part of 2007 benefited greatly from the contributions of community members who asked questions, offered insights, and came together to solve real-world political problems.
Thinking Points Resources
The resources below will help you become more familiar with this work and serves as an archive of the collection of writings that emerged around Thinking Points and the subsequent Weekly Workgroups.
Download Entire Book
Thinking Points: Communicating Our American Values and Vision in PDF format. Please send any corrections (typos, formatting errors, etc) to [email protected].
Download Book Chapters
These links allow you to download PDF files for each chapter of the book.
Thinking Points Preface from George Lakoff
Thinking Points Introduction: Why We Write
Thinking Points Chapter 1: Winning and Losing
Thinking Points Chapter 2: Biconceptualism
Thinking Points Chapter 3: Frames and Brains
Thinking Points Chapter 4: The Nation as Family
Thinking Points Chapter 5: Morality and the Market
Thinking Points Chapter 6: Fundamental Values
Thinking Points Chapter 7: Strategic Initiatives
Thinking Points Chapter 8: The Art of Arguments
Thinking Points Acknowledgements
Thinking Points – About the Rockridge Institute
Thinking Points Discussions About the Book
These articles pertain directly to material published in the book Thinking Points. Each writing covers a chapter or part of a chapter to help unpack the ideas inside and explore them in greater depth.
Thinking Points Discussion of Chapter 1: Winning and Losing
Thinking Points Discussion of Chapter 2 – Part 1: Biconceptualism
Thinking Points Discussion of Chapter 2 – Part 2: Moderates of Many Kinds
Thinking Points Discussion of Chapter 3 – Part 1: Frames
Thinking Points Discussion of Chapter 3 – Part 2: Insights from Cognitive Sciences
Thinking Points Discussion of Chapter 3 – Part 3: Expressing Our Values
Thinking Points Discussion of Chapter 4 – Part 1: Progressive Morality
Thinking Points Discussion of Chapter 4 – Part 2: Conservative Morality
Thinking Points Discussion of Chapter 5: Morality and the Market
Thinking Points Discussion of Chapter 6 – Part 1: Our American Values
Thinking Points Discussion of Chapter 6 – Part 2: More About American Values
Thinking Points Discussion of Chapter 7: Strategic Initiatives
Thinking Points Discussion of Chapter 8 – Part 1: The Art of Arguments
Thinking Points Discussion of Chapter 8 – Part 2: Stories as Arguments
Thinking Points Discussions on Additional Topics
These articles explore topics that were not covered in the book. The community expressed a strong interest in continuing discussions so we surveyed several additional findings from the cognitive and behavioral sciences to demonstrate their importance in politics.
Thinking Points Discussion: Status Quo Bias and Progressive Reform
Thinking Points Discussion: Gut Feelings and Political Choice
Thinking Points Discussion: Politics and the Psychology of Blame
Thinking Points Discussion: Model of Left and Right Falls Flat
Thinking Points Discussion: Overton Window Presents Distorted View
Thinking Points Discussion: How Conservatives REALLY Shift Public Opinion
Weekly Workgroup Topics
These articles shift the focus from discussion to the practical activities that follow from perspectives in cognitive science. Participants explored the ways to move from theory to action on a number of important and timely issues unfolding on the political stage as these workgroups took place.
Weekly Workgroup: The Role of Markets
Weekly Workgroup: How Framing Differs from Spin
Weekly Workgroup: Rockridge Institute and Your Daily Life
Weekly Workgroup: Understanding the Politics of Fear
Weekly Workgroup – Part 1: Challenging the “Surrender to Terrorists” Frame
Weekly Workgroup – Part 2: Challenging the “Surrender to Terrorists” Frame
Weekly Workgroup: Communicating the Progressive Vision
These workgroups were facilitated by Eric Haas, a senior fellow of the Rockridge Institute and consulting partner at Cognitive Policy Works:
Weekly Workgroup: Challenging Welfare Stereotypes
Weekly Workgroup: Protecting Homeschoolers, Respecting Parents
