The Advanced Playbook: Turning Moral Science Into Strategy

Republicans dominate the moral narrative with three instincts. Learn how to counter.

Tonight’s Paid Subscriber Article: The Advanced Playbook

Republicans dominate the moral narrative with three instincts. Learn how to counter.

The Jack Hopkins Now Newsletter #552: Monday, September 16th, 2025.
Read this first (why this matters)

If “calling out hypocrisy” actually worked…Trump would be a footnote and his congressional enablers would be unemployed.

It doesn’t…because morality doesn’t operate the way we imagine.

It runs on tribe…threat…belonging…and duty.

Tonight’s Private Briefing gives you the street-usable playbook: the science…the scripts…and the three-word frames you can deploy tomorrow.

What you’ll get below:

• The Sapolsky reality check on oxytocin (why “love hormone” is a dangerous myth…and how to flip it to your advantage).

• How Haidt’s moral foundations line up with Sapolsky’s biology…and how the right exploits Loyalty / Authority / Sanctity to own the moral frame.

• A library of three-word frames (with plug-and-play scripts) that convert tribal loyalty into democratic defense.

• Why “rule of law” falls flat…and the replacements that trigger moral urgency in normal people…not just policy wonks.

1) Oxytocin isn’t “love.” It’s parochial love. Use it.

The myth:

Oxytocin = kindness, trust, kumbaya.

The science:

Oxytocin increases trust and generosity inside the group…while sharpening suspicion toward outsiders…especially under perceived threat. Pair that with status hormones and fear cues…and you get fierce in-group defense(which politicians can weaponize fast).

Translation for messaging:

Stop begging everyone to be “nicer.” Speak to belonging and shared protection…and define democracy as our in-group project. Pull the circle of “us” around democratic norms…neighbors…veterans…nurses…poll workers…and kids.

Field moves (based on the biology)

• Name the in-group first, then name the value.

  • “We protect our neighbors; that’s why we count every vote.”

  • “We stand by our seniors; that’s why we keep Medicare out of politics.”

• Make threats concrete and near.

  • “If politicians can toss out the votes from our county…they can toss out yours next.”

• Offer a duty the audience can perform.

  • “Your job? Back the counters, back the cops who defend the poll line, back the rules that protect all of us.”

Phrases that light up parochial care (use)

• “Protect our peace.”

• “Honor those who show up…from poll workers to paramedics.”

• “Same rules for the powerful and the rest of us.”

Phrases that misfire (avoid)

• “Be more empathetic to our opponents.” (Reads as out-group favoritism under threat.)

• “Rule of law” alone. (Abstract. Doesn’t hit tribe or protection.)