Framing messages here on ATS.

I'm noticing on several threads when users want to make us think someone is the bad guy on their thread they'll frame a message in a certain way to make it seem that way. Framing, is how a message is put together. Take notice of the Israel and Gaza conflict. Someone who sympathizes with Hammas can make it seem like Israel is committing a Genocide by putting the word Genocide in the thread title and automatically that jumps out at us and we see it so we think about it. On the other hand, if someone wants to make us think from the Israeli point of view they can show various facts which make us think otherwise. And for other issues like Affirmative action it would be easy for us to assume that all people who criticize affirmative action are racist but if they show us some facts then we might be obliged to think that they might not all be racist loonies. I notice right away when a thread or post is anti-American by the way they frame their message. I just take what they say and keep it in mind and formulate a response based on the data they've given in their post. I also notice right away when a thread or post is pro-American and I think about whether I agree with the point at hand or not and then I dispute it if I do.


Anyone else here notice framing messages on ATS? I learned about framing from an audiocoursebook I listened to by Deborah Tannen and I'm just fascinated to see how often the technique of framing is used in practice. I'm starting to pick up on how people frame messages more and more in every day life now.

What's your experience with framing? Framing is more common than you think. People can frame messages to conceal a lie or to tell their version of a truth. You never know when a message is being framed in a certain way to convey a certain message or not.

I have stayed away from all of the isreal gaza palastine threads for that very reason.
The thread is an opinion that seems to later turn ugly with a few posts.
Some people freak out when you are for isreal and some freak out when you are for palastine.
Its just an opinion and quite frankly I don't care to say what mine is as I don't need any arguments and I don't need to hear others opinions on the issue as they are free to think what they want.
I am really sick of seeing all these useless threads on this issue.
Its a war...nobody is right.

Originally posted by DrumsRfun
I have stayed away from all of the isreal gaza palastine threads for that very reason.
The thread is an opinion that seems to later turn ugly with a few posts.
Some people freak out when you are for isreal and some freak out when you are for palastine.
Its just an opinion and quite frankly I don't care to say what mine is as I don't need any arguments and I don't need to hear others opinions on the issue as they are free to think what they want.
I am really sick of seeing all these useless threads on this issue.
Its a war...nobody is right.

Name one instance when a pro-Palestinian poster freaked out and I will show you several pro-Israeli posters who have decended into abuse and wild allegations about the another member.

Originally posted by Frankidealist35
Anyone else here notice framing messages on ATS?

Sure. It's used by media and internet posters everywhere. It gets agenda and bias across very well - overtly and subliminally.

Looks like you already hit a sore spot Frankie.
The agenda-trolls aren't going to like you 'outting' them.

reply to post by masonwatcher


This is exactly why I stay away from these threads.
I don't want to bicker as I really don't care.
You have your opinions and I don't care to debate them.

Originally posted by DrumsRfun
I am really sick of seeing all these useless threads on this issue.

Elsewhere someone said this (paraphrased) "everytime someone farts in a foxhole then an ATS thread pops up". It's true. There are soooo many stink'n threads on the Gaza thing. They all basically say the same thing. The same people show up thread after thread - spouting the same rhetoric. No one is listening.

reply to post by DrumsRfun

You have your opinions and I don't care to debate them.

No problem and no offense intended, but why are you here?

Originally posted by masonwatcher
No problem and no offense intended, but why are you here?

People are allowed to post their opinions on subjects. The point of the thread is 'framing' - it's not 'debate masonwatchers nonstop anti-Jewish rhetoric'. The thread isn't revolving around you masonwatcher.



THE TOPIC IS - FRAMING.

reply to post by masonwatcher

I'm just trying to prove a point that I see common in a lot of threads here on ATS.

Framing makes it seem like the person conveying the message is right and all other points of view are wrong/don't understand the original point of view. It's like how they had faulty intelligence to get us into the Iraq war. Bush said that Saddam Hussein had nuclear weapons so we needed to invade them. He framed the message in a way that made us all scared of the possibility of our empire ending with a mushroom cloud. Later, it turned out that there weren't nuclear weapons there, and now people hate him for it, but had he argued a bit differently as to why we should go to war, like, for the fact that Saddam was a dictator, then people wouldn't have been so upset.

It's also obvious to tell when Pro-Israeli posters or Pro-Palestinian posters are in the wrong. When they frame their messages they omit details that would hurt their argument as to why their side is right.

See? It's all about the way one frames their message.

Isn't it all fascinating?

Framing can be used for good and evil intents. The power of framing is used by all political leaders. Local and national. Politicians have used the power of framing in a number of ways, to manipulate the masses, to get their point of view across, to stress their point of view in Congress, and when in debates, they frame their message in a certain way that their base approves of.

Framing is also used here on ATS by people who want to really stress their point of view. I used to frame my messages in certain ways but I realized that it was better just to say what I meant than just to frame my message in a certain way that sounds good. I think a lot of people here are framing their messages so that they can convince people that one side or the other is correct, with, a complete denunciation of the actions of the other side contrary to their point of view.



[edit on 5-1-2009 by Frankidealist35]

reply to post by FlyersFan


Flyersfan, haven't you noticed a lot of framing here on ATS?

I've noticed many cases that people won't go through the trouble of being objective so they'll frame their messages to make one side seem like they're in the wrong on a number of issues. People seem to make issues seem like they're good guys versus the bad guys.

Isn't it weird how so many people seem to do it? I just think it's interesting that people like to use language in order to make something they say have a certain meaning and have a certain effect on people. I also think it's equally interesting how many people do this yet they complain about points of views that other people have that they don't agree with. Pretty much everyone does it yet many people deny it.

reply to post by Frankidealist35

I have noticed people not being objective in order to portray what they want and not the truth.For that I won't even bother to read threads on the issue as it is just a baited argument.
Its easy to see that some people have a motive and are not denying ignorance.
I agree 100% that people are framing their thoughts to portray the point they want to make and are not doing it with an objective mind.
Its not just the isreal gaza threads either.
I don't think it is everybody tho as some have more open minds then others.

Originally posted by FlyersFan

Originally posted by masonwatcher
No problem and no offense intended, but why are you here?

People are allowed to post their opinions on subjects. The point of the thread is 'framing' - it's not 'debate masonwatchers nonstop anti-Jewish rhetoric'. The thread isn't revolving around you masonwatcher.



THE TOPIC IS - FRAMING.

Not the point, when someone chooses to not debate with someone, they don't respond.

For the record, I will not debate on this matter with you any further. It is ridicules.

Language itself was invented for the purpose of manipulation, projection - to affect people.
It was not invented to state the truth. Truth is obvious and direct, it doesn't need manipulation to confirm its existence.