We Progressive Democrats (“PDs”) have values that inform our hearts and minds about our political landscape. Dare say, inclusion, fairness, honesty and justice are chief among them. Conservatives have values, too: Ones different from ours, but no less valid.
Values carry the weight of faith. One is not easily, if ever, dissuaded of his or hers. Certainly, values should not be demeaned. Rather, they are to be respected because, as faith, they are personally authentic.
So to identify and understand conservative values that drive our neighbor’s thinking and actions will put us in a much better position to engage in meaningful, substantive conversations with them.
Sam Kriss, a writer and blogger, cites research conducted by Rob Willer and Mathew Feinberg, two social psychologists, in Politico (2/22/17 ) entitled: Can The Left Win By Talking Like The Right. The research identifies core conservative values first framed in a conventional sense and then reframed to align with core value. http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/02/one-weird-trick-to-stop-trump-liberals-214809
But, first, let’s define “framing” and “reframing.” Framing is simply the context we give to a certain term. For example, PDs all know what we mean by “justice.” We don’t have to explain it to one another. It is framed by common connotation.
Reframing – a concept developed by Richard Bandler, author and co-founder of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) — is the conscious act of placing an issue in a different, alternative context to gain greater clarity or expand definition.
“Research by Willer and Feinberg” writes Kriss, “found that self-described conservatives were more likely to support Obamacare after reading an op-ed that described it as a measure to reduce the number of ‘unclean, infected, and diseased Americans,’ rather than one that argued for access to health care as a human right—because among conservatives, the value of ‘purity’ is held to be more important than that of ‘fairness and harm’.” The “op ed” piece reframed the definition so that it paralleled a core conservative value – purity.
To further illustrate, at a recent meeting with rural conservatives, a discussion of the EPA arose. These conservatives think the EPA with its rules and regulations is an intrusion of the Federal Government into the commercial and personal lives of farmers and ranchers. Our country was founded on that principle – over-powerful and arbitrary government is anathema to individual liberty and freedom (important core conservative values). PDs won’t argue otherwise. But, to conservatives the EPA is intrusive and restrictive, and to say the least, inimical.
To reframe this position: One will find freedom from worry and threat in knowing our drinking water is clean, pure and safe. We regret it takes a government agency to supervise that but clean water is the ultimate objective since it is everyone’s life sustaining resource. Same value, different context.
It will be helpful to identify a couple more of these values.
Safety and security are core values for conservatives. With this in mind, support for immigration restrictions, the Great-Wall-of-America, and stricter policing methods come into focus. This doesn’t justify them, but only makes clear why conservatives are considering them viable actions. Order and organization, an anchor point for the analytical thinker, is also reflection of a strong safety value among others. Balanced checkbooks and budgets, as examples of such order, offset unforeseen fiscal calamity.
Loyalty is a core value. Patriotism is the noble expression of loyalty and, judging by the “behavior” of conservatives, in this we can be confident. The “Tea Party” and its slogan, “Don’t Tread On Me” isn’t just catchy branding, it authentically expresses a conservative’s strong sense of patriotism and loyalty in its references to Revolutionary War themes. A respect for authority is also an expression of loyalty as well one for order and organization. Conservatives respect authority because they see it as loyalty to a beloved leader, principle or method. To wit: Ronald Reagan.
The NRA and its uncompromising defense of unrestricted gun ownership and use is an extension of a conservative’s sense of loyalty – and to a lesser degree – safety. The 2nd amendment, like the 1st amendment, is sacrosanct. It is a hard won freedom of which loyalty and patriotism demand defense.
Finally, listing these “values” is not intended here to be prescriptive. Nor is this list complete, by any means. Rather, it is intended to provoke creative, productive thought before engaging in conversation. It is important to say that truly trying to understand the perspective of your neighbor and acting accordingly, can very well lead to being . . . well, neighborly.
Submitted by Mark Kumming, WCD Member