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A framing protocol for ReStorying
Aims
Facilitate news and analysis that:
 Enable an "environment of authorisation" for a culture in which all life matters and in which
restoration and regeneration are incentivised and destruction is penalised.
 Tell into reality a new vision, taking us to a different culture.
 Help us to decolonise our minds, by embodying deep humility. Useful reading:
http://swaraj.org/ngugi.htm
 Deliver cultural NLP.
 Expose embedded power relations and invite alternatives.
 Provide context and meaning, by reflecting on trends or patterns rather than delivering stand-alone
one-off stories, and by acknowledging the psycho-spiritual landscape and how that is changing,
especially the underlying thread of "Wetiko", or societal sickness.
 Bridge the gap between "lived crisis" and "systemic crisis" (as described by Erik Lindberg) in a way
that brings big-picture context and meaning to on-the-ground, individual lives and experiences.
Quote: "A new narrative must weave and interlace the disappointments embedded in lived
crisis with the deeper understanding from systemic ones; it must help translate people’s feelings
and perceptions into an understanding of a global social, economic, and natural ecology. And it
must do so in a way that people trained to believe there are no limits to what they can have and do
are able to accept and embrace a life with much, much less." Reference:
http://www.resilience.org/stories/2016-05-24/lived-crisis-vs-systemic-crisis-notes-on-a-newnarrative
 Are not afraid to call out what those in powerful positions are doing and refuse to unwittingly
disguise their crimes with abstractions and obscure rhetoric — reference:
http://sociologicalimagination.org/archives/15303 — or use of the passive voice:
http://www.jrmyprtr.com/passive-voice/
 Assume that, deeper than the conservative framing and values commonly seen, as used to support
the use of force to exert dominion, control and discipline, lie cooperative and ecological values in
us all. Embed frames that support these values instead. References:
http://beautifultrouble.org/principle/reframe/ and http://beautifultrouble.org/theory/narrativepower-analysis/
 Break out of "linguistic prisons" as discussed by Jonathan Dawson, Head of Economics at
Schumacher College in Devon: "among the key challenges we face in transcending the tired
charade that passes for political and economic debate today is a conscious societal engagement
with linguistic and narrative deconstruction and re-invention … We need to develop a language
and a meta-narrative that better reflect the kinds of partnership and reciprocity we will need
between the culturally and spiritually-rich South and materially and scientifically-rich North as we
move further into the resource-constrained 21st century." Reference:
https://www.schumachercollege.org.uk/blog/beyond-development-escaping-the-linguistic-prison
 Counteract the "political language," that, as George Orwell said, "is designed to make lies sound
truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind."
 Make sure not to further promote this awful pattern: "The British Empire ran on a combination of
Vanessa Spedding, August 2016
fear and grandiosity — immature egoic qualities. It based its success on the ability to convert what
psychotherapy has identified as ego-defence mechanisms, such as dissociation, projection,
objectification and normalisation into values." http://woundedleaders.co.uk/what-is-psychohistory/
— by using language that specifically takes those mechanisms out of value creation.
 Offer models of "civic journalism" as demonstrated in Mexico and described by John Pilger:
http://us5.campaignarchive1.com/?u=81e01f026144a7a39810a239b&id=0c67076cf7&e=d5feaf9f12
 Provide an alternative to this, as stated by Derrick Jensen: "Ultimately, then, the story of this
civilization is the story of the reduction of the world’s tapestry of stories to only one story, the best
story, the real story, the most advanced story, the most developed story, the story of the power and
the glory that is Western Civilization."
http://www.derrickjensen.org/work/miscellaneous/endgame-excerpt-civilization/
 Shift the communication style, from child (according to Transactional Analysis) (persecutor, victim,
little professor, critical parent) to adult (nurturing).
 Paraphrasing key quotes from George Lakoff: (1) contribute to an effective communication system,
(2) communicate a progressive value system, (3) repeat the truths that reveal what is right about
those values, (4) act with courage to promote the sense of courage, confidence and hope that
allows the truth to be meaningful and powerful.
Some things to try
 Consider the bioregion as the area of consideration or commonality, rather than the nation state;
John Thackara is big on this: http://www.doorsofperception.com/place-bioregion/bioregionalismby-design-short-course-at-schumacher-college-england/ and
http://www.resilience.org/stories/2016-01-13/are-positive-stories-enough
 Elicit an emotional reaction — if not through narrative, then by tapping into the feelings and
wisdom of a story, of the interviewee, of the readers. Tap into and release soul pain.
 Hold in mind the endpoint of the bigger story, and frame in terms of the direction of travel towards
that. Remember that out of the chaos of destruction emerge the seeds of the new and better design;
new beginnings.
 Use assumptive questioning when interviewing, e.g. "If there were no obstacles, if you believed that
you could, what would you do?" "If you were allowed to reflect your feelings about this, what
would you do?" "Having realised that the current economic system is dysfunctional, exploitative
and ecocidal, how much research are you doing into the alternatives?" "Given that all life on the
planet is at risk, how far should we go to try to change course and try to salvage it?"
 When considering a story for reporting, run inner fingers over it; gauge its emotional landscape. Feel
for the meaning. What matters here? What really matters here? When you find it: now, there's the
story. If there's no emotion in the writing of it, this isn't the story.
 Ask: what would the people (and animals and plants and microbes) want me to speak here to the
powerful? What about future generations? What deserves exposure on their behalf? How shall I
represent the restorers, the permaculturists, the regenerators, the fighters for life? Write from the
perspective of the frog, the ant, the eagle, the forest, the river, the people, the women, the
underdogs, the indigenous, the cosmos, the future.
 Try writing in fairy tale format. Think about who the protagonist and antagonist are, how to reverse
Vanessa Spedding, August 2016
and correct for the deliberate confusion sowed by the authorities and how to provide a more
empowering "hero" or "heroine" for readers to identify with. Experiment with making news into
the cultural stories of people and place, exposing the backdrop history based on power accretion,
psychological damage and resulting ecological and psychological devastation, highlighting acts of
healing and restoration, and pointing to structures that support these.
 Resist and counter thought-terminating cliches and platitudes:
http://sinthematica.tumblr.com/post/134357158430 — and also cognitive biases:
http://www.businessinsider.com/cognitive-biases-2014-6?op=1&IR=T
 Look out for erasure — of the more-than-human world; of peoples, gender, vividness of life, etc —
and correct, if necessary using lyrical descriptions.
 Try to capture change, specify patterns of interaction and relationship, bring out energy flows.
http://www.urbanscout.org/e-primitive-rewilding-the-english-language/
 Consider the potential for decolonising English itself — minimising the use of French or Latin
originating words, which in their usage imply deference to the elites/social hierarchies and which
themselves often obfuscate or alienate. Instead be direct, experiential, sensual. Use pig, fuck, not
pork, copulate. Ref 'Anglish' or 'Roots English'.
 Remember: we're in for the long haul; and it's not just about the names:
http://keywordsforradicals.net/introduction.html
 Be aware of emotions. It's okay to acknowledge that things are dire. Don't always conform to the
left-brain pressure.
The technicalities
Write each story bearing as much of the above in mind as possible and then go through repeatedly looking
for and eradicating inappropriate frames and language of dominion, and inserting humanity, emotion,
asking again and again, what is the story that matters here.
Reminder: frames are groups of assumptions and values. Or as Lakoff says: "frames are the mental
structures that allow human beings to understand reality — and sometimes to create what we take to be
reality. But frames do have an enormous bearing on politics … they structure our ideas and concepts, they
shape the way we reason … For the most part, our use of frames is unconscious and automatic."
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/feb/01/george-lakoff-interview?CMP=share_btn_tw
On Retaking Political Discourse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UseIJAIxR-4
Frames are conveyed by means of tone, vocabulary, story trajectory, value judgements, inaccurate
exposition, deliberate vagueness, omission or obfuscation.
So, check every word and phrase for:
◦ abstractions (use "basic level" words to invoke a meaningful frame; so cat not mammal; etc. These
are abstractions: property, ownership, status)
◦ nominalisation
◦ embedded value judgements
◦ assumed laws that are not fixed in physics or ecology
◦ clarity
◦ cultural associations/norms (don't be afraid to acknowledge the culture is malfunctioning)
◦ bias
Vanessa Spedding, August 2016
◦ dehumanisation
◦ depersonalisation
◦ deference to authorities (NB Use of titles ensures separation between classes and maintenance of
power/submission relationships. Try dropping them.)
◦ unnecessary diplomacy or tact with respect to authorities
◦ not naming those responsible for damage
◦ not celebrating those responsible for repair
◦ ego/self-consciousness
◦ assumed inevitabilities
◦ hope/aspiration/future intent
◦ the language of dominion
◦ default support of power relationships (slave owners - use enslavers instead) (war - use conquest
instead)
◦ default support of the structures and products of empire
◦ anthropocentrism
Remember agendas. Primary: what to think about. Secondary: how to think about it.
Base writing on these frames:
Constructive
Dangerous (no blame, just denunciation)
Life promoting
Death causing
Aliveness; feeling
Cooperative
Separate
Peace-promoting (or resolving)
Increasing beauty
Love based/promoting
Abundance-creating
(from co-operation/power with)
Promoting freedom/autonomy
Diverse
Warm = strong
Win-win
Considered and careful
Long-term
Sharing power
Balance of feminine
Wild
Participatory
Cooperative/alternative/etc economics
Commons
Feeling
Aesthetic
Inclusion/belonging
Flow
Dynamic
Contributing to a restorative story
Intrinsic values
Ecocentric
Jedi
Mechanical, inert
Adversarial or competitive
Enmeshed and interconnected with the whole
Conflict.violence causing
Increasing ugliness
Fear based/promoting
Scarcity-evoking (competition/power over)
Promoting control/domination
Uniform
Warm
Warm
= weak
= weak
Win-lose
Quick fix
Short term
Accumulating power
All masculine
Domesticated
Coercive
Profit-focused neoliberal economic models
Private ownership
Hardening
Anaesthetic
Exclusion/alienation
Fixity; snapshots of situ as is
Static
Not contributing to a restorative story
Extrinsic values
Anthropocentric
Empire
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Cultural/spiritual wealth
Resilience
Adaptability
Symbiosis/reciprocity
Generosity
Relational
(indigenous)
Bioregional
Exclusive focus on monetary wealth
Over-efficiency
Rigidity
One-way dependencies
Selfishness
Extractive (colonial)
National/statist
Try these for size as thought experiments:
-
hierarchy-free news
slow news
news without othering
news as if all life mattered (not anthropocentric; so "food supply" becomes meaningless etc)
news without borders
news for the symbiocene https://glennaalbrecht.wordpress.com/2015/12/17/exiting-theanthropocene-and-entering-the-symbiocene-via-sumbiocracy-symbiomimicry-and-sumbiophilia/
Some quotes
"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind." Rudyard Kipling
"Telling a story... is the most permanent act of societies. In telling their own stories, cultures create
themselves." Paul Ricoeur
"Language as communication and as culture are then products of each other. Communication creates
culture: culture is a means of communication. Language carries culture, and culture carries, particularly
through oratory and literature, the entire body of values by which we come to perceive ourselves and our
place in the world. How people perceive themselves and affects how they look at their culture, at their
places politics and at the social production of wealth, at their entire relationship to nature and to other
beings. Language is thus inseparable from ourselves as a community of human beings with a specific form
and character, a specific history, a specific relationship to the world
— Decolonising the Mind: the Politics of Language in African Literature (Heinemann Educational, 1986),
by Kenyan novelist and post-colonial theorist Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o.
"language … 'is also a vehicle for the expression of discrimination and prejudice... [and] cannot be
regarded as a neutral or unproblematic medium'" - important initiative at UNSW:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-35922858.
"Storytelling reveals meaning without committing the error of defining it." — Hannah Arendt
Vanessa Spedding, August 2016