You can't understand Twenty-first-Century Politics with an Eighteenth-Century Brain.
Interpretation
Modern political issues require contemporary thinking and understanding.
George Lakoff's quote suggests that to effectively comprehend and navigate the complexities of today's political landscape, one must adopt a mindset that is relevant to current times. The phrase emphasizes the gap between historical understanding and the demands of modern society, implying that outdated perspectives are inadequate for addressing contemporary challenges. It advocates for intellectual adaptability and the necessity of evolving thought processes to engage with current realities.
In practice
In a political debate, this quote could be used to illustrate the need for current thinking in policy-making.
Do we really think that the United States will have the protection of innocent Afghans in mind if it rains terror down on the Afghan infrastructure? We are supposedly fighting them because they immorally killed innocent civilians. That made them evil. If we do the same, are we any less immoral?
Moreover, metaphor is typically viewed as characteristic of language alone, a matter of words rather than thought or action. For this reason, most people think they can get along perfectly well without metaphor. We have found, on the contrary, that metaphor is pervasive in everyday life, not just in language but in thought and action. Our ordinary conceptual system, in terms of which we both think and act, is fundamentally metaphorical in nature.
The mind is inherently embodied._x000D_ Thought is mostly unconscious._x000D_ Abstract concepts are largely metaphorical.
"There's got to be more to life than just living," Foyle said to the robot. "Then find it for yourself, sir. Don't ask the world to stop moving because you have doubts." "Why can't we all move forward together?" "Because you're all different. You're not lemmings. Some must lead, and hope that the rest will follow." "Who leads?" "The men who must... driven men, compelled men." "Freak men." "You're all freaks, sir. But you always have been freaks. Life is a freak. That's its hope and glory."
Bad ideas flourish because they are in the interest of powerful groups.
Hatred obscures all distinctions.
Her future, she thought, was likely to be worse than her past, for after her years of contented renunciation, she had slipped back into desire and longing; she found joyless days of distasteful occupation harder and harder; she found the image of the intense and varied life she yearned for, and despaired of, becoming more and more importunate.
Evil gains work their punishment.
I feel closer to my country than ever. There is no longer a feeling of lonesome isolation. Instead-peace. I return without fearing prejudice that once bothered me . . . for I know that people practice cruel bigotry in their ignorance, not maliciously
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.