Ask Rockridge: When Values Go Beyond Self-Interest

Welcome back to "Ask Rockridge," a collaborative project brought to you by the BuzzFlash News Network and written by the Rockridge Institute.

The Rockridge Institute experts want to answer your questions about framing the political discourse. To ask a question or submit comments, see links below.

Or go to When Values Go Beyond Self-Interest -- Comment here. To ask a new question regarding a progressive issue that you think needs "reframing," go to: Questions for Rockridge Nation Staff and Community.

* * *

A reader recently asked how to get others to see that they are voting against their self-interest. For instance, how can we get through to conservatives who vote for tax cuts when the consequence is that vital social programs they depend on will be gutted?

This is a very important question that goes far deeper than voting behavior. There is a common notion that human behavior is defined by the drive to maximize self-interest. It is at the heart of many popular theories about human nature and economics. But, as this question recognizes, it is quite common for people to behave in ways that contradict their interests, especially their economic interests. It happens all the time in politics.

Progressives often feel frustrated and confused when we see poor people support conservative policies that outsource their jobs overseas, cut social programs they depend on, reduce the safety of working conditions, and so on. We want to reach out to these people and try to influence their understanding so we can help them.

In order to get through to people who vote for conservative policies that hurt them economically, we should first recognize that, like them, we do not act based solely on our economic interests.

We may, for example, choose to pay more money to purchase a fair trade or union-made product, when one made by workers facing more hostile conditions is both cheaper and more widely available. Similarly, we may support a measure that would increase our taxes and use the funds to improve pre-schools even though we don't have young children. It may be in our economic self-interest to oppose it.

In both cases, we are motivated by values, such as fairness and justice, rather than what is often described as "self-interest." So we need to think about values when we want to understand and change the decisions of voters such as those described above.

Consider how people choose who to vote for. In the progressive manual, Thinking Points, the Rockridge Institute describes the key influences that shape this choice. Here is what I wrote about it on our blog site:

"Voters must identify with the candidate. Four things come together for this to happen. These things are values, connection, authenticity, and trust. The candidate must talk about values when discussing issues to consciously articulate the concerns that lead to political positions. The candidate must communicate values effectively to connect with people. This requires the speaker to always appear authentic so that they seem to believe what they say. A candidate who talks about values and connects with people in an authentic way will build trust, which encourages voters to select them over other candidates."

Our behavior in politics is no different from other aspects of our lives. We resonate with those whom we trust (even when an outside observer might call that trust into question). Trust emerges when we believe a person is authentically expressing his or her values and so we believe they will continue to talk and act this way in the future. When we feel as though their values are the same as ours the connection is understood.

Another thing to keep in mind is that there are different ways people understand political issues. George Lakoff and the Rockridge Institute have analyzed political thought through the lens of cognitive science. Our work shows how the very concepts we reason with are shaped by experiences of family life in our culture. Lakoff discovered two internally consistent modes of thought about politics. One of them, based on a strict father model of family, is the basis for conservative thought. The other, based on a nurturant parent model of family, is the basis for progressive thought. These two models can co-exist in our brains, one inhibiting the other when it is active.

Many people think about different parts of their lives with both modes of thought. For example, a manager may be very strict with her employees and then go on to provide nurturance to her children at home. These people are what we call "biconceptuals." The way to reach them is to talk about politics through the progressive values you have. This activates the progressive mode of thought in their brains, making it stronger. In the process, you build a bridge with them that connects you to each other.

If you can show them where you stand in a way that feels authentic, you will build trust. In some rare moments, you might even make a breakthrough and get them to understand things differently. They might begin to see things as you do.

It is still true that people have interests that motivate their behavior. But politics is fundamentally about how we feel the world should be. It is filled with moral concerns about values like fairness, responsibility, protection, justice, community, and freedom. Self-interest, especially in the narrow economic sense, plays but a small part in the grand scheme of things.

Joe Brewer
The Rockridge Institute

* * *

Submit questions or comments to "Ask Rockridge" using the links below:

Rockridge Nation Home Page

When Values Go Beyond Self-Interest -- Comment here.

Submit Questions for Rockridge Nation Staff and Community.

Rockridge Nation is a community project of the 501 C-3 Rockridge Institute. The weekly question posted on BuzzFlash.com is designed to help readers express progressive views and values in the ongoing dialogue that is politics.

Thinking Points: Communicating Our American Values and Vision -- A Progressive Handbook (Paperback) by George Lakoff and the Rockridge Institute.

Read BuzzFlash.com's Full Review.

Click here to order.