Don’t Buy It

The Trouble with Talking Nonsense about the Economy

Public Affairs, 2012

15 min read

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To change people’s minds about the economy, progressives must utilize different metaphors.

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Progressives and conservatives have different talking points about the economy, yet both use phrases like “the economy is suffering,” or say that people of color are “lagging behind.” Communications consultant Anat Shenker-Osorio argues that those terms may sound neutral, but in fact she interprets them as carrying a rightward slant. To suggest the poor are falling behind implies they’re to blame – while ignoring policies that contribute to their plight. Shenker-Osorio can be repetitive, but she’s consistently readable and provocative. She skillfully shines a light on hidden political biases in economic discourse. getAbstract, while always politically neutral, recommends this analysis to students, policy makers and commentators interested in how language shapes public opinion and policy, and to readers seeking to decode messages from the right or the left.

Summary

Everyday Words, Hidden Biases

The words sound neutral enough: “The economy is ailing.” “Money will flow to where it will earn the greatest return.” “There’s a widening gap between rich and poor.”

But those words carry hidden rightward biases. The economy isn’t an autonomous body that regulates its own health. Money doesn’t “flow” on its own accord. Instead, people decide where to put it, and those decisions have various consequences. The rich and the poor are far apart, however, that “gap” didn’t grow all by itself – it arose from the barriers that people created.

Progressives and conservatives argue about economic policy every day on cable news and newspaper op-ed pages. Progressives too often muddle their message, speaking in abstractions and failing to articulate how policy objectives add up to a unifying vision for the economy. Progressives also undercut their message and meaning by embracing the language of the right.

Conservatives, in their policies and public statements, treat the economy as a “living, breathing, intentional being.” They advocate against actions that might “hurt the economy.” Serving the economy – and promoting its growth...

About the Author

Communications consultant Anat Shenker-Osorio spent three years researching how people reach conclusions about the economy. She develops strategic messaging on current affairs issues.

Anat Shenker-Osorio

Don’t Buy It

The Trouble with Talking Nonsense about the Economy

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Everyday Words, Hidden Biases

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