Concept Map Final Draft by Alexandra Diaz Camacho

1. Central Claim

ad2138 — 2024-10-10 03:42:37 UTC

There are three divisions in America and having these divisions make it harder for people to move forward in improving a problem. Which is why Kling emphasizes that communication is necessary to understand each other to avoid falling into these divisons.

2. The Problem: the Three-Axis Group

ad2138 — 2024-10-10 03:48:18 UTC

Kling talks about how everyone divides the political group into three ways. They are known as the Three-Axis which are Progressives, Libertarians, and Conservatives.

The solution: Arnold Kling proposes the benefit of slow political thinking

ad2138 — 2024-10-10 03:51:10 UTC

He borrows two terminologies from Daniel Kahneman by explaining his book from 2011, Thinking, Fast and Slow was about. Kling utilizes this source to explain the two different perspectives people a part of the three-axis have. Fast political thinking has to do with one settling a on a single perspective to frame an issue. This is why Kling encourages society on how they can find a common ground by following one type of thinking. The preferred thinking is slow political thinking. Slow political thinking has to do with an individual seeing an issue from a number of perspectives rather than one. Which is why fast political thinking would not solve anything.

2a. Libertarians

ad2138 — 2024-10-10 04:06:19 UTC

A libertarian is someone who values individual freedom in order to make their own choice. This division communicates by the liberty-coercion axis.

2c. Conservatives

ad2138 — 2024-10-10 04:24:34 UTC

A conservative has to do with emphasizing traditional values to maintain social order. This division communicates with one another using civilization-barbarism axis.

2b. Progressives

ad2138 — 2024-10-10 04:25:30 UTC

A progressive actively advocates for people who are in need of equality and having an active role in the government. This division communicates using oppressor-oppressed axis.

Libertarians on the Black Lives Matter Movement

ad2138 — 2024-10-10 04:32:26 UTC

This group has a fear of getting their freedom taken away due to the police harassment. Due to the police using excessive force, citizens feel as if their right were being taken away. This group believes there is a high practice of persuading people to do something by threats. Which means there's less liberty because of white society.

Progressives on the Black Lives Matter Movement

ad2138 — 2024-10-10 04:39:34 UTC

Kling emphasizes the issues on how white society handles systematic oppression. In this case, they framed the police offices and white society, as the role of oppressors and African Americans in the role of the oppressed.

Conservatives on the Black Lives Matter Movement

ad2138 — 2024-10-10 04:40:18 UTC

Although the protests might have appeared to be violence against the police, it was for done for police shootings against African Americans. Since the conservatives believe in law and order, they would frame this issue as the demonstrators as a barbaric threat and believe the police are defending civilization.

The Three-Axis can not be used universally

ad2138 — 2024-10-10 04:45:52 UTC

At the end of the chapter, Kling clarifies that the three-axis model can not apply to other countries. This model is intended for Americans that are unaware of what is happening in their time period. For example, he is not talking about other people living in Canada or China because it does not have to do with their society.

Non-existent Complexities of Political Communication

ad2138 — 2024-10-11 15:23:22 UTC

One of the clarifications Kling offers is being apart of the three axis does not cause beliefs rather it talks about how he's making claims on how we communicate. Kling makes it clear that the model doesn't explain political ideology. An example of how we communicate could be is having a simple conversation or choosing the correct language we speak in. Using the correct language means not limiting yourself to one side because it closes an individual's mind that follow a specfic side.

3. Political Tribalism

ad2138 — 2024-10-11 23:08:25 UTC

Throughout the first chapter, Kling utilizes a metaphor to describe how people identify themselves with specific groups. Tribalism has to do with having a preference to one's own people. For this reason, he references them as 'tribes' due to the fact people speak their own language when they are with their own people they have assimilated to. The three-axis speaks in their own language which arises in conflict rather than being able to have a normal conversation.