I found this book highly significant and convincing in the linguistic and psychological framework of our current political structure. This book presents the frames of ideas behind liberal and conservative thinking, the psychological models that shape the two main avenues of perception and projection into all areas of life, morals; the basis behind religion and politics. The political sides, liberal and conservative are in essence only ideas that follow from these prior ideals. And what the author frames as the two models are, the two moral ideals of the Strict Father morality and the Nurturant Parent morality. Both are opposed to each other and yet, there are variants or combinations or radial categories which are gray areas which are not so clear cut. But overall, there are these two current trends that shape our thoughts.
George Lakoff goes into each model, their traits, attributes, virtue and vices. I think he does a good job at maintaining neutrality. It is only later in his book where he identifies himself under the nurturant morality and thus a liberal and later in the book attempts to argue in his thesis in that direction.
What these models boil down to is the family morality, and that of raising children. In politics it is the government as parents, the citizens as the children. And the views on raising children are the basis of frames behind political agendas. After detailed explanations of the two models, then applications to current political issues as in abortion, gun control, education methods, crime and capital punishment, welfare, affirmative action, foreign policies and so forth are discussed according to the two models.
The conservative model represents the Strict Father Morality, which is about self-discipline, self-reliance, self-strength, your on your own, rewards and punishments which includes harsh discipline or tough love. The father takes the lead, and while treating others compassionately, he is the last word. Anotherwards life is a hierarchy, God head of Christ, God and Christ head of man, man head of woman, parents head of children, humans head of animals and the planet. And so it is a strict arrangement where the harsh laws of nature as in the natural selection, survival of the fittest is applied morally.This morality represents absolutes, therefore anything different cannot be allowed since therefore it is immoral. Rights of the individual take precedence where free market fundamentalism is concerned, while individual rights that infringe on those with economic power are considered as threats. So the upper hand lies in what is considered that "best," the self disciplined who has gained more financially for their hard work, their hard won discipline and reward. The poor receive punishments and suffer due to their own lack of self discipline.
The liberal model represents the Nurturant Morality, which is about empathy, tolerance, degrees of relativity, flexibility, about open communication, about nurturance, tolerance, compassion and understanding. It allows differences and has vulnerability. It reneges some power to allow the other to grow on their own terms. Empathy is directed towards the unbalance of wealth and poverty, the economic framework, what is "fair" and equalitarian, also to the planet earth, animals, and all of life in general, under the ideas of free individual rights that do not interfere with the rights of others. Those with economic power that put their interests above others are considered as threats to the masses. The poor need a the same equal opportunities as the rich where it is not a matter of self discipline, but the lack of opportunities to advance in an unfair society.
I think what is so crucial here is the liberal's ability to turn to a higher objective paradigm of unity and equalitarianism outside all other paradigms. Like the conserative paradigm of morals, the fascist of power, the libertarian of unregulated liberty, the liberal, through the paradigm of unity and fairness, recognizes the validity of the conservative ideals, those of rewards and punishments, of tough love, of self-discipline, however here they are not absolutes, as they are relative within the particular culture, economic class, race, minority and so forth. So the liberal can very well be a conservative but only within the relativity within the group of fair values When it crosses the lines beyond fairness and equalitarian opportune justice, then the higher paradigm of flexibility in a non-absolute framework must be applied. And for this, I find liberal ideals of a higher evolutionary consciousness which works towards integral, holistic unity of peace and harmony, unlike the absolutes of conservatism which considers all outside its absolutes as immoral. There are conservative rules within each paradigm, but the moment circumstances of unequality and injustice apply, then there are no absolute blanket rules which apply to all paradigms. Adjustments are necessary, crucial for harmonious, peaceful existence.
What I mostly enjoyed was his methods for liberals to correct the problem they are in. That is to form their own think tanks that do what the conservatives have done; obtain new language and/or particular meanings to words that fit the liberal paradigm. In this way, they will not defend conservative driven meanings to words, agreeing or maintaining defense within their frame of reference, only to maintain the answers within the conservative created definitions, but rather to use another reasoning linguistically within a new liberal frame of reference in word definitions. This is not a matter of semantics, but rather a separate perceptional projection which relates the parent nurturant morality over the strict father morality.
I was visualizing a couple of years ago when Congress was passing around Clarke's book where questions were being raised on Bush and the Iraq question, that it would have been beneficial if it were this book, which I know no conservative or any one changes due to a book or persuasion, but at least it could radically wake up some liberals to understand the psychology behind their ideals. People only grow only when they're ready and willing to do so, otherwise they stay put in their model, their paradigm.
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Moral Politics: How Liberals and Conservatives Think, Third Edition
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Top reviews from other countries
PaintedDog
Revolutionised my thinking
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 31, 2015
Giulio
Ottimo prodotto. Libro interessante da leggere.
Reviewed in Italy on November 2, 2013
