Reframing the Debate

Alex offers a wide array of consulting services, from PR consulting to editorial consulting. He brings with him a track record of changing minds, particularly young minds, on energy issues. His experience in persuasion in marketing is not based on half-baked theory from a college classroom, but over a decade of engaging every conceivable audience.
 
Read this message on how he reframes the debate.
 

I believe that in the energy debate we need to focus on the incredible economic and environmental positives of energy. One of the focuses of my work is “aspirational advocacy”–taking the high ground in energy debates by connecting pro-freedom, pro-industrial energy policies to individuals’ deepest values and aspirations, including environmental values.   One major aspect of aspirational advocacy is what I call “reframing the moral narrative,” which means challenging the other side’s story of the choice we face and presenting a true, compelling counter-narrative.   For example, today’s debate over fracking is dominated by the idea that we we face a choice between allowing “dangerous” fracking to contaminate our water supply, or passing a necessary ban to protect it. So long as this stands, advocates of fracking and energy growth are forced to play defense.   But there is no need to accept this narrative. In reality, energy growth improves our environment, including water quality. All energy production carries risks, but fracking is one of the safest–it is far less of a risk to water supplies than conventional drilling. The real choice we face is: embrace a new technological breakthrough for providing cheap, plentiful, reliable energy, or sentence ourselves to energy poverty through a technophobic ban. The real risk we face is the risk of not fracking.   The same approach applies to a wide variety of issues, as I discuss in my speech “The Power of the Moral Narrative,” which you can download in full here or listen to a sample of below.   Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.   Alex Epstein

To inquire about speeches or consultation on “Reframing the Moral Narrative,” click here or call 949-421-8867.