Water evokes a multitude of ideas, symbols, and numbers. Measurements of rainfall, gallons used per day, velocity of river flow, speed of ocean current, and “drinking 8 glasses per day” create an emotional picture of abundance or can induce feelings of scarcity.
Framing Context
Broadcasting the water equity frame is more than just a regurgitation of words, one action, or a single thought, but a concert of multiple instruments playing interdependently to create meaning and drive collective action.
Framing is “a set of interrelated stories that resonate with deeply held myths” (FrameWorks Institute, p. 6). Each word must be carefully chosen, strategically placed, and courageously paraded in a coherent manner that connects not only the letters in each word, but also connect one sentence to the next that stirs up emotions created by spacing, highlights ideas through the lingering effects of punctuation, and invites further introspection through the strategic annoyance of words that have been conspicuously omitted.
A. More Than Communicating
Water touches every facet of life. Therefore, framing should be more than the communicative (short-term) model (Lakoff, p. 8), but should be designed as a long-term system of interconnected frames that resonate with citizens, communities, industry, and the polis.
Further, responsible framing should be both proactive (before issues arise) and reactive (when conditions quickly change) while “telling the truth as we see it [,] … forcefully, straightforwardly, articulately, with moral conviction and without hesitation” (Lakoff, p. 4).
B. More Than Morals
According to Lakoff, the morals-based approach should be founded on “responsibility instead of victimhood; about accountability instead of grievances; about citizens instead of consumers; about open courts instead of money” (Lakoff, p. 7).
The moral high ground is more acceptable when delivered as a positive trait.
C. The Concept of Power Vs. The Power of Concept
We can only think of one idea at a time. There is immense power when the right “message, [,] … audience, a messenger, a medium, images, a context” (Lakoff, p. 8) to evoke the strategic frames within the intended audience’s minds, as well as to prevent the incursion of competing ideas that could dilute the message.
The more comprehensive the framing, the longer it resides in the audience’s awareness where it is absorbed into the consciousness as a one-on-one, personalized relationship that is difficult to dislodge by other utterances.
Concentrated Framing (Cantua, Fresno County, CA)
I value the contributions of the polis, the citizens, and industry within the drinking water policy sphere.
Without industry’s innovations, we would not have the level of water abundance we have today. Without the polis, industry’s ability to deliver drinking water, flavored water, and alcoholic beverages would be stifled. Parties would be boring.
And without the citizens who bring up misconduct, industry would easily forget that human life, quality of life, and longevity of life is worth more than profit or financial ratios.
For this article, I will focus only on the Cantua, Fresno County, drinking water issue. Without taking one side over the other, I present ideas that each side can use to find the center of balance between the thirst of residents and farmers.
A. Level of Understanding.
B. Strategic Framing Analysis
Conclusion
Water availability, quality, and sustainability is a constant topic in California. Bridging competing requirements requires reason and not drama, hope and not fear, and responsible action without blaming.
Copyright Leonard Casiple 2023. All rights reserved.
About the author: Leo Casiple is a first-generation American who grew up in Southern Philippines under martial law. He spent much of his 21-year career in the US Army as a Green Beret.
Leo is currently a doctoral student at Northeastern University’s Doctor of Law and Policy program (2022–2025 Cohort). He earned his education from California Lutheran University (MPPA), ASU Thunderbird School of Global Management (MBA in Global Management), Excelsior University (BS in Liberal Arts, Ethnic and Area Studies), Academy of Competitive Intelligence (Master of Competitive Intelligence™), Defense Language Institute and Foreign Language Center (18-month Arabic Language Course), and the US Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (Special Forces Qualification Course and Psychological Operations Specialist Course).
For more information about the author, click here: Leo’s LinkedIn Profile
References
Ball, M. (2015, April 30). The marriage plot: Inside this year’s epic campaign for gay equality. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/12/the-marriage-plot-inside-this-years-epic-campaign-for-gay-equality/265865/
Framing Public Issues. (2002). FrameWorks Institute. https://www.frameworksinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/FramingPublicIssuesfinal.pdf
Frank, N. (2012, November 7). How Gay Marriage Finally Won at the Polls. Slate.
Fresno County almond farmers ask sen. Padilla for a ‘solution to our water crisis’. (2022, August 19). KVPR Valley Public Radio. https://www.kvpr.org/local-news/2022-08-18/fresno-county-almond-farmers-ask-sen-padilla-for-a-solution-to-our-water-crisis
Lakoff, G. (n.d.). Simple Framing. https://www.rockridgeinstitute.org/projects/strategic/simple_framing
Vad, J. (2022, October 20). Water debt doubles for residents of tiny, impoverished west Fresno Countytowns. SJV Water. https://sjvwater.org/water-debt-doubles-for-residents-of-tiny-impoverished-west-fresno-county-towns/
