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Reviews
The Political Mind: A Cognitive Scientist's Guide to Your Brain and Its Politics by George Lakoff
ameyawarde's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent book to learn how our brains think, and how activating various frames (the containers our brains organize information in) affects how we handle information and politics. I *know* the democratic party has had to have read his work, but why do they use almost none of the science that would actually help them? UGH. >.>
bengresik's review against another edition
3.0
It would be hard to find another book written during the Bush years that's more relevant now than it probably was then. The fundamental thesis of this book is that Progressives misunderstand how we think and make bad choices because of that. Liberals don't understand that Conservatives think and communicate fundamentally differently. The only problem with this is Lakoff doesn't help us to learn how to communicate our ideas more effectively. He gets part of the way there by pointing to the general frames used in Liberal and Conservative thought but when he goes off to exposit his research near the end of the book he stops applying his material. I think this book is good if you're interested in cognitive science but is less useful for a general audience.
k8iedid's review against another edition
3.0
My sad and depressing takeaway is that conservatives are much more effective at messaging. I read this book at the exact moment the Democratic speaker of the house has drawn up articles of impeachment on one of the most controversial (wasn't that generous of me?) modern presidents, when I read one person on twitter say that if the shoe were on the other foot we'd be hearing conservatives refer to the person as Impeached President __ every time. I can't argue with it.
This book was written a lifetime (11 years) ago, juuuuust before the rise of the Tea Party, which likely gave way to our current situation. It's a strange, strange time capsule and quite disorienting for anyone trying to make sense of our current state.
This book was written a lifetime (11 years) ago, juuuuust before the rise of the Tea Party, which likely gave way to our current situation. It's a strange, strange time capsule and quite disorienting for anyone trying to make sense of our current state.
maryleong's review against another edition
2.0
This could have been a really interesting look at the cognitive behaviour behind how and why individuals understand politics in certain ways, but in the end it was underwhelming and focused more on the narrative of the Old Enlightenment (how progressives currently think) vs. the New Enlightenment (how they should be moving forward in order to influence politics). I'd personally have liked to read more of the research behind his theory.
shoemaker's review against another edition
Some mind-bending metacognitive ideas buried in way too much polemic, academic fluff. It's difficult to wade through, even for one who accepts his basic argument.
dbaguti's review against another edition
2.0
Autor zbyt jednoznacznie opowiada się po jednej stronie politycznej, żebym mogła zaufać jego opiniom nt. umysłu. Moje opinie polityczne pokrywają się w dużej mierze z tymi Lakoffa i wiem, że jest gigantem badań nad umysłem, ale ton tej książki jest nieznośny, co potwierdza chyba, że ksiazki czytam plytko i powierzchownie, a lewaków nikt nie lubi nie tylko dlatego, że są przesadnie racjonalni, ale też dlatego, że boy are they annoying.
jnlybbert's review against another edition
3.0
Political thought is generally not rational. It is largely driven by frames and narratives. Conservatives are generally better at this than progressives.