regular readers will know that

i’ve got a thing

for

george lakoff,

which started around the time that i was exposed to

“metaphors we live by”

at
evergreen

[ the only school with a

molluscan mascot!

].

apparently george has started a

progressive think tank

and, quiet naturally, he’s focusing on language :

“The background for Rockridge is that conservatives,
especially conservative think tanks, have framed virtually every
issue from their perspective. They have put a huge amount of money
into creating the language for their worldview and getting it out
there. Progressives have done virtually nothing. Even the new
Center for American Progress, the think tank that John Podesta
[former chief of staff for the Clinton administration] is setting
up, is not dedicated to this at all. I asked Podesta who was going
to do the Center’s framing. He got a blank look, thought for a
second and then said, “You!” Which meant they haven’t thought about
it at all. And that’s the problem. Liberals don’t get it. They
don’t understand what it is they have to be doing.”

[ via the always informative
rafe colburn

]