Complex Numbers

Framed

I'm sharing this link, not to get embroiled in a political argument, but because this has implications for all writing.

https://www.fastcompany.com/90208548/this-is-how-tiny-changes-in-words-impacts-t...

This is how tiny changes in words you hear impacts your thinking
In a fascinating look at language, a Professor George Lakoff lays out how political parties can sway supporters with tiny tweaks in word choice.

It's not just political parties, of course; it's generally applicable to writing (including writing for video).

In 1973, America watched as then President Richard Nixon vehemently declared on national television, “I am not a crook” in regards to the Watergate scandal.

Not many people believed him.

Partly it's because of his word choices. Partly it was because everyone knew he was a crook and voted him in anyway.

The major mistake Nixon made was in his framing.

While I know what this author is trying to say here, I think we can all identify what Nixon's "major mistake" was, even if you're too young to remember Tricky Dick.

George Lakoff, a professor in cognitive science and linguistics at University of California, Berkeley, makes the point in his book Don’t Think of an Elephant! that when trying to get your point across, refrain from using the other side’s language.

Buy my book, and this guy's book too! Also, for the eleventeenth time, life isn't binary; there's more than two sides, always.

So, exactly what is a frame?

“A frame is a mental structure that is represented in the brain by neural circuitry,” Lakoff explains. Frames shape the way people see the world, and consequently, the goals we seek and the choices that we make.

I'd like to point out that "neural circuitry" is a metaphor. The brain isn't a computer. Also, that's a shitty definition, because it requires drilling deeper with more definitions.

Not that I believe that could define "frame" any better, but I'll take a stab at it, at least from a writing point of view: a frame is a mental metaphorical structure built on word associations, their emotional content, and their implications.

How'd I do?

Think about it this way: Something that has a “95% effective rate” will sell better than something with a “5% failure rate.” It’s all in how you frame it.

I've gotten into the habit of always turning statistics around in my head, anyway. It's a glass-half-full or half-empty kind of thing. Well, as an engineer, I see a glass overdesigned in capacity for its contents, but that's irrelevant. And as a drinker, I see a need for more beer.

Because subtle differences in languages might shape our thoughts and change how we experience reality, learning a new language can activate new frames. Quite simply, speaking differently requires thinking differently.

I stuck this article in my queue months ago and I'm just now getting to it, but I have a dim recollection of wanting to make a point based on this paragraph, something related to me learning French. But obviously, learning a new language hasn't helped my general memory all that much, as far as I can tell. Probably had something to do with this "thinking differently" thing being one of the reasons I decided to try learning a new language.

The rest of the article deals more directly with the political implications, specifically American politics, and that's not something I want to wade into here. It's the general ideas about framing as they relate to writing that I want to emphasize: word choice is important, and we need to consider not only the words but their possible emotional baggage.