Why are right-wing extremists so much more effective than progressives at using language to mobilize the faithful? Is it just because they have Frank Luntz and we don’t?

My pet theory — and yes it’s a little cynical — is that the right uses language to inflame their core, while liberals use language to avoid conflict and controversy. And guess what? Both strategies succeed at meeting their unspoken goals.

Seth Godin has been thinking a lot about language lately. See this post and especially this post for some practical wisdom.

We all love pictures, but the words still matter. A lot.