Thread by @docrussjackson

#THREAD

Elon Musk’s acquisition of @Twitter has turned out even worse than expected...

Respected American cognitive linguist & philosopher, @GeorgeLakoff, explains Musk's strategy, & why it so dangerous...

georgelakoff.substack.com/p/twitter-ceo-…

"In a few short weeks, Twitter’s chief troll (and CEO) has enthusiastically championed misinformation, elevated hateful voices, flirted with fascism and pledged to restore abusive or dangerous accounts that had been permanently suspended."

"He laid off thousands of workers tasked with maintaining the safety, stability & standards of the site. While claiming to Twitter’s advertisers the app wouldn't become a “hellsite,” he's done everything in his power to accelerate Twitter’s decline into disorganized decrepitude."

"Musk is making a serious effort to seize as much power as possible in order to help define our political future. He’s trying to spark a political communications revolution by seizing the digital public square & tilting the discourse toward ultra-conservative politics."

"The world’s richest man has little interest in “free speech.” What he wants is the power to control what the public hears, and to shape reality by turning the so-called “digital town square” into a privately-owned propaganda machine." - @GeorgeLakoff

"It’s a world that empowers dictators, fascists, white supremacists, Nazis, disinformation and misinformation. It’s a world in which billionaires enjoy total power over everyone else, and where straight white men hold dominion."

'A world where people can no longer distinguish truth from lies as technology sucks us all into the manipulative babble of Twitter: a dynamic where organized misinformation shares equal billing with respected journalism, & where people can’t tell the difference between the two.'

"It’s important to remember that Trump’s rise via Twitter was not something he accomplished alone. He rose to unrivaled dominance and prominence with help from his fellow Twitter addicts, including some of the most powerful journalists and political influencers in the nation."

Trump's “tweet fixation fuels a parasitic economy in which people compete to ride his digital coattails. Reporters, Democratic politicians, and social media influencers fall for it every time. They obsessively retweet, analyze and attack. This helps Trump tremendously.”

Trump used Twitter to control the news cycle & frame debate, using the app to:

1) Preemptively frame issues: using name-calling or lies to frame an issue in his favor

2) Divert attention from real issues: distract from scandal or problems by creating a new focus for the public

3) Deflect: attacking his critics, undermining the press

4) Launch trial balloons: test ideas publicly without committing to them

As a solution, @GeorgeLakoff & others proposed that the press make a concerted effort to stop falling for these strategies, essentially by becoming more aware of these tactics and deemphasizing Twitter as a primary source of information.

"This is even more important now that the company is owned by Musk, who is using all of Trump’s tactics to dominate the public discourse via Twitter.

Twitter has become a key communication tool for millions of people, including journalists, government agencies and activists."

"It’s a central lens through which many influential people see the world. Unfortunately, it has now been captured by a powerful figure who seems intent on using the platform to empower chaos, disinformation, misinformation, extremism and bigotry."

"Thanks to his $44 billion purchase of Twitter, Musk’s extreme conservative politics have become both the medium and the message."

So, what can we do about it?

"In the next few posts, we will examine Musk’s efforts to seize control of the discourse through Twitter & also analyze the main political beliefs driving his behavior. We will also suggest ways to undermine Twitter’s outsized influence over our political reality & our future."

Dr. Lakoff emphasizes:

"Remember that what is at issue is Musk’s right to control your brain space, not merely what you hear but, beyond that, what ideas you have no choice but to take seriously because they have been “posted” by Musk in your brain."

This thread quotes extensively from this article, which is put together by the good people at #FrameLab generated from conversations/writing sessions with Dr. Lakoff.

georgelakoff.substack.com/p/twitter-ceo-…

I encountered the ideas of Lakoff many years ago. In particular, his ideas about the power of framing - which right-wing politicians & news media are brilliant at.

Lakoff claims that progressives struggle to harness the political prowess of words—specifically of framing.

Lakoff believes that Conservatives fully understand how language and framing can propel their political agenda, and encourages Progressives to follow suit.

According to Lakoff’s theory, if progressives were able to frame issues according to their own moral agenda, be clear with their values & character, & place enticing language ahead of policy-speak, they would more successfully engage voters.

Twenty years ago, Lakoff was telling us that the “Conservative language machine” is so powerful because Conservative leadership realized the importance of language long ago, & set off to build the language infrastructure we now see.

Conservatives having “spent decades defining their ideas, carefully choosing the language with which to present them, and building an infrastructure to communicate them”.

newsarchive.berkeley.edu/news/media/rel…

This sort of standing infrastructure is difficult to infiltrate or compete with. It is well defined and secure, leaving most Conservative voters confident that the same ideas they have supported their whole life will continue to be defended—no matter who is in leadership.

The strength of Conservative comms comes from framing - the “Strict Father Morality” in their policies, the clear & understandable nature of their platform, the way they lead with personality before policy, & their willingness to say whatever is necessary to appeal to their base.

In an interview, when asked why Conservatives are particularly good at framing, Lakoff’s simple response was: “Because they've put billions of dollars into it. Over the last 30 years their think tanks have made a heavy investment in ideas & in language”.

nonviolenceny.org/post/introduct…

Follow & read the work of @GeorgeLakoff - he knows what he's talking about. 🙏

https://twitter.com/GeorgeLakoff/status/1543754350287151104?s=20&t=dmOTHqCAVWHCKmI8iYbLIw