Framing freedom

One example is how Repugnacons are framing personal freedom to the point of selfishness versus the progressive value frame that personal freedom comes with social responsibility. We need to define freedom in the following ways.

We need to emphasize our empathy, that we care about everyone no matter their opinions, to express universal love in a religious sense. Therefore to live that love we need to temper personal freedom with everyone's freedom to health and life, which we take away from them when we refuse to get vaccinated or wear a mask. We also need to frame 'them' as their own loved ones, their own family, to whom they owe a responsibility for their freedom too.

We can also frame this in terms of law and order. Our personal behavior is limited in that while we can own a gun we cannot just shoot someone because it's our freedom. Same goes for assault or any other crime. We have social limits on our personal freedom in order to make society function. Law and order requires social responsibility. Our rights and responsibilities go hand in hand, which applies to harming others by any means. Hence mandates for public heath are consistent with law and order.

Freedom and democracy go together. If you accept democracy it requires that we don't impose our personal freedom to the point of limiting other people's freedom: Freedom applies to all of we the people. Freedom in a democracy requires that responsibility of how your behavior affects those around you. If you claim belief in democracy then that is one of its requirements to maintain law and order.

Religious morals are also consistent with social responsibility. "Do unto others as you would do unto yourself" is a key moral principle. If you would not do harm to yourself, which of course assumes you are functioning in psychological health, then you are required by religious law to not harm another. If your profess religious belief then you must accept this limit on your personal freedom or violate its commandments. Depending on which religion, the penalty is eternal damnation in hell.

Of course all of the above is based on empathy. And today's Repugnacon party does not have it. That in itself is a sign of sickness by any psychological measure. So for me proper framing includes making clear that their value system is sick and harmful to society. Such framing might reach those Republicans who value healthy empathy via their religion or otherwise. And they know deep down that their Party's rhetoric is directly opposed to that core belief. Hence hammering the sickness aspect just might make some of them face that reality, not wanting to be associated with such sickness which is contrary to their religion.

 

FrameLab · Freedom, Empathy, Vaccines, Death