On January 6, glued to our TV sets, we watched the appalling, infuriating, and deeply unsettling attack on the State Capital by a mob of thugs. Although the facts of their actions were straightforward, people talking about the event inevitably reached for metaphors to describe what happened, once again illustrating not only the important role metaphors play in communication, but also the instinctive need we all have to frame what is new into parallel terms familiar to us. This is true in politics as well as in business. A few examples…
The Bare Facts
As The Wall Street Journal wrote, “In concise summary, on Wednesday, the leader of the executive branch incited a crowd to march on the legislative branch to demand that Congress and Vice President Mike Pence reject electors from enough states to deny Mr. Biden an Electoral College victory.
When some in the crowd turned violent and occupied the Capitol, the President caviled and declined for far too long to call them off. When he did speak, he hedged his plea with election complaint.” (1/8/21)
The Facts Described Metaphorically: Comedy & Arson
“Wednesday’s invasion of our ‘temple of democracy’ constituted an ‘insurrection’ only in the sense of dark comedy. What was essentially a flag-wrapped biker gang wielding staves stormed America’s ultimate country club, chased senators into the Capitol’s catacombs, squatted on Mike Pence’s throne, trashed Nancy Pelosi’s office, and shot endless selfies to send to the dudes back home in white people’s country. Otherwise, they were clueless and when the serious cops finally arrived, filed out clutching souvenirs to show to Daddy Trump. Monty Python with four dead bodies. (Emphasis mine) The Guardian 1/8/21
[Many commentators and observers used versions of arson to describe what happened.]
“… His lies fed the grievance, his disregard for the constitution focused it on Congress and his demagoguery lit the fuse.“ The Economist 1/9/21
“Donald Trump lit fuse to a riot and burned down his house.” Headline, The Australian, 1/8/21
“But there’s no doubt that his repeated false claims about the election provided the fuel for the metaphorical arsonists whose work he inspired.” The Wall Street Journal 1/12/21
The Impact Described Metaphorically: History & Literature
“The U.S. has been riven by actual warfare in its past. But it is now 2021, not 1860, and the resurgence of some of the nation’s dark passions is a stark reminder that democracy and peaceful politics do not occur automatically, and must be cultivated and defended over and over again.
It’s not that this is unprecedented, but for this generation, it feels new and like we’ve crossed the Rubicon.” * Christian Science Monitor, 1/6/21
*Julius Caesar’s crossing the Rubicon River on January 10, 49 BC precipitated the Roman Civil War, which ultimately led to Caesar’s becoming dictator and the rise of the imperial era of Rome. Today, the phrase “crossing the Rubicon” is a metaphor that means to pass a point of no return.
“The Trump-Hawley-Cruz insurrection against constitutional government will be an indelible stain on the nation. They, however, will not be so permanent. In two weeks, one of them will be removed from office by the constitutional processes he neither fathoms nor favors. It will take longer to scrub the other two from public life. Until that hygienic outcome is accomplished, from this day forward, everything they say or do or advocate should be disregarded as patent attempts to distract attention from the lurid fact of what they have become. Each will wear a scarlet “S” as a seditionist.” George Will, Washington Post, 1/7/21
What Metaphors on January 20?
There are the facts, as The WSJ noted, and then what communicators do with those facts to make them as vivid as possible — much as you do in business. Right now, our political metaphors reflect anger, outrage, and danger to fit the times and mood of the country and they are taken from many different worlds (comedy, arson, etc.)
On Jan. 20 when Joe Biden is sworn in, you can bet we will be hearing very different metaphors, ones that evoke hope, change, unity, and pride – appropriate to that occasion and to the desires of the country. It will be interesting to see what metaphors are used then.
Stay tuned.
Anne Miller
Make What You Say Pay! – with Metaphors
For a more upbeat, hopeful metaphor from a most unlikely source (Arnold Schwarzenegger), watch this youtube video. It is worth watching the entire video, but If you only want to hear the metaphor, it begins at 5:13 into the 7-minute video.
If you like this Metaphor Minute, please share it with friends, clients, & colleagues. Thank you!