Liberals and Conservatives, part 2.

George Lakoff's Moral Politics and other works probably cover this topic better than I can, but for the benefit of my own superficial understanding, here's a hypothetical discussion of the workings of rhetorical styles, liberal and conservative.

Public Speaking for Liberals

If you want to give a presentation to a public audience, the most important thing to convey is your passion for the concepts you are presenting. Second to that are framing, context, and other vague semantic concepts that somehow make your information meaningful. Here is a set of guidelines for creating a meaningful presentation sure to connect with like-minded audiences.

1. Start. Introduce your general topic as a foregone conclusion. Use well-known facts to avoid dispute. To speak to All audiences, employ concepts from both liberal and conservative frames.

Example: Once again the corporations are threatening American Values with their double-dealing.

2. Continue. Using facts, describe the specific problem you wish to discuss.

Example: Neurox corporation announced several job cuts this week, blaming the slow economy for decreasing revenues.

3. Continue. Discuss the false account you wish to debunk. Be sure your choice of language illustrates your opposition to the idea you are presenting, lest your audience become unclear where you stand.

Example: Corporate executives claim their cost-cutting measures are needed--how many times have we heard that before--and it looks like another case of shareholder profits taking precedence over the lives of American workers and their families.

4. Continue. When presenting facts, it is always good to extrapolate those facts into a general statement, so that the implications of your narrative can be widely understood by the masses.

Example: One worker stated, "It's gonna be tough on my family, losing my income and all." The tragedy of one family sends a clear message to all workers everywhere, the corporations are going to make it tough on all families, everywhere, and there's nothing you can do about it. Wherever you have corporations, it's always profits first, families a distant second. That's the corporate way.

5. Step Back and see the Big Picture. When dealing in general statements it is important to frame the issues and put them in context. This will help your audience better understand the meaning you are trying to convey.

Example: Look. It's important to put this in context. Let me frame this so the average American can understand. If there are corporations, you could lose your job. It could happen at any time, in any place, in any city or suburb or community. All over people are suffering tragic losses of jobs under corporate rule. And when this happens, like the worker in the example, your family could suffer.

6. Continue. Now comes the time to interject your passion into the discussion.

Example: I just feel it would be a terrible, unfair thing for those families who might be suffering.

7. With your passion clearly established, offer hope.

Example: But we are not without hope.

8. Describe the solution, ideally in the context of the problem you presented earlier.

Example: Corporations like Neurox must be held accountable. That's why I'm proposing congress enact tough new legislation to curb these corporate excesses and prevent possible future job losses.

9. Finally, a call to action. Note how inserting inspiring language into the narrative reinforces the urgency of the message.

Example: Today I'm asking all of you to go to my web site and click on the link to sign my petition that will be e-mailed to members of congress showing our support for standing up to corporate interests. The people united will never be divided. Now is the Time to say Yes we can! or be canned!

10. End on a positive note.

Example: Thank you.