Honest Framing

First off, I totally admit I am posting this here because I know there are those that object… that say that framing is dishonest, or that as practiced is dishonest, or at least, that the people that claim they are engaging in framing are really engaging in focus group least-common-denominator dumbing down and pandering to the worst in us.

I seek out difference of opinion… what can I say, I think it’s beneficial… we can solve problems, clarify reality.

I believed that the accusation above, give or take a modest amount of hyperbole, had something in it… and I’ve found it. I think I have a simple explanation about the concern, and it’s not that I don’t share it.

The advice, “to take framing into account”… aha! that has two different meanings! VERY different meanings… not opposites but antipodes.  

One is to take the frames that are out there into account. That’s what Booman is talking about. One idea of framing is to learn the frames that people already use, and try to use those. Most of those things are cliches and a shit-ton of bigotries and petty biases. This disgusting suggestion for framing is also just pandering. For example, Nixon’s “southern strategy”… you pander to their biases and hatred… propaganda, manipulation, regression result, if “successful”. Blech. I agree.

But TWO is: using the models that appeal to you! Talking about them, knowing them, becoming familiar with the metaphors just you live by. Just you.

Think of the frames that appeal to YOU, let the petty biases of others fade away from your speech and thought… how do you visualize the mother of nature?

The frames that appeal to you! That’s what we’re wondering.

Like: I like the idea that the planet is a living creature, it’s alive… I find it literally and figuratively true, both.

I like the idea that the nation is a body… though I know that freaks other people out… sometimes.  But I like it… even though it’s far from really true, for one, the whole habitat is more like the body, and the humans are supposed to be the brain… (as if).

I like the idea that humanity is a distributed family, that’s a frame… though it has access to being a literal truth as well if you are allowed to fiddle with the definition of “family”, which of course you are allowed to do.

I think group web logs are communities… that’s a frame, all computer software uses frames, but anyway, I think these are communities, I consider them “places”, I consider them just AS I consider communities, with the rights of a community, the responsibilities. I think we can learn how to solve community’s problems by solving the problems of virtual community, and vice versa.

So anyway, I don’t care what frames appeal to “most people”… in fact, I hate popular things. I care what frame appeals to you.