Purest Persuasion

Assignment 5:
Detect & Track The Changing Frames of Reference
Here is a provocative exercise in comparing “contrasting” Frames of Reference on a
particular topic. So how much more contrasting a topic can we find at the moment
than President Trump?

Do you have an opinion? Do you know “what he is”, or whether he is good or evil?
Can you set that aside for an exercise to find out more about how others see things?

We have chosen two strong American media figures. One is mainstream and the other
an alternative or new media figure. Each dislikes the other with a degree of ferocity.
Each one is opposed politically.

Working in contrasting pairs of examples can be a good way to increase your ability to
perceive distinctions in Frames of Reference. Given the differing styles (one is
scripted “news commentary”; the other a “shot from the hip”, ambling response to an
issue, with claims around it); there are many contrasts to be observed.

It will also force you to use your Meta Model and Framing Tool skills with a degree of
concentration that you may not have accessed before. Also, pay attention to the non-
verbal aspects of the communications – what their “state” suggests or communicates
as well.

Note that many of the claims or implications each makes are not validated within the
extracts (in other words, you can’t “decide” from within the context of the videos what
is true or false) but you can look at what must be true if what they are saying is true,
and what higher level abstractions of purpose, intent or values may be implied. Keep
in mind when viewing inserted clips of “evidence” that you are seeing things taken out
of context and their meaning is not what the commentator claims. The “evidence”,
such as it may be, sits within the commentators framing.

This pair of videos will make a large canvas of possibilities for you to explore in
mapping out differing Frames of Reference.
Our pair of extraordinaires are Rachel Maddow of MSNBC, and Alex Jones of
Infowars.com. Please note we neither support nor refute either of these.

What Will Happen If Trump Resigns | Alex Jones

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxJprrnsxPo

Trump Officials Refuse To Answer Senate Questions About Donald Trump |

Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2OB98k3HTM

Watch each video through once for information – no decisions or observations

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 Purest Persuasion

about… watch as a witness.

Then take one video, using the Framing Tool, begin exploring what else must be
true and what cannot be true, if what they are saying is true.

Consider what the consequences might be and for whom, as well as who benefits if
this is true.

Consider what the consequences might be and for whom, as well as who benefits if
this is a lie, or a partial truth, or a careful framing of the issue to exclude certain
potential relevant perspectives.

What purpose might the different components of the communication serve, and then
the communication over all?

Who is this communication for? Who is it speaking to? And what might the desired
impact be?

How is their communication structured? Each is using cause and effect logics but each
does so in different ways.

Are there patterns of language or patterns in the inferences they are pointing towards?

There are many levels you can take your study to with this. Use your Framing Tool
and Meta Model skills and map out what you discover. This is a very valuable process
to see how frames are set, stacked and inferences used to create desired conclusions of
the speaker.

Enjoy!

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