You cannot simply negate a frame – you must offer an alternative from "summary" of Don't Think of an Elephant! by George Lakoff
Negating a frame means reinforcing that frame in people's minds. For instance, if you say, "Don't think of an elephant," what do you think of? An elephant, of course. The same goes for political frames. If you say, "The government is not the solution," you are still activating the frame of government. Instead of reinforcing the frame you want to negate, you must offer an alternative frame to replace it. This is because when a frame is negated, the frame is still activated in people's minds, reinforcing its power. When you offer an alternative frame, you are presenting a different way of thinking about the issue. For example, instead of saying, "The government is not the solution," you could say, "We need a government that works for the people." By offering an alternative frame, you are shifting the focus and changing the way people think about the issue. This is crucial for effectively communicating your message and persuading others to see things from your perspective. By offering an alternative frame, you are not only providing a different way of thinking about the issue but also activating a new frame in people's minds. This new frame can help to counter the existing frame that you want to change. It is important to be strategic in the frames you present and to choose frames that resonate with your audience. By offering an alternative frame that aligns with your values and beliefs, you can effectively challenge and replace the dominant frames that shape people's understanding of political issues.- The key to changing people's minds is not simply negating a frame but offering an alternative that challenges and replaces the existing frame. By presenting a new way of thinking about the issue, you can shift the conversation and change the way people perceive the world around them. This is the power of framing and the importance of offering alternatives in political communication.
