Framing Difficult Conversations Enrichment
At the Sandy Shore Aviary
1. Guest: Why can’t I bring my stroller in here (the Aviary)?
The guest is operating through the facilitator/responsible parent frame. They brought their children to the aquarium for a fun, educational experience. They have their camera, spare diapers, snacks, juice, and a purse in the stroller—all the stuff a responsible parent would carry with them—and they don’t want to leave it where they can’t see it.
At the Touch Pool
2. Guest: Wow! What’s this? (As he/she picks up a hermit crab.)
This young person is looking through the explorer or curious learner frame. They’re excited about all the amazing things to see and learn about at the aquarium. Their teacher has a terrestrial hermit crab in a terrarium in the classroom, so the youngster is happy to see a “familiar face” at the Aquarium.
At the Pacific Giant Octopus Exhibit
3. Guest: Does that octopus have enough room in there? Is the exhibit large enough?
The guest is viewing the exhibit through their humane frame. Most people—especially aquarium guests—appreciate animals and don’t want to see them mistreated. They may approach animals from an emotional basis as much as from a knowledge base. From the humane frame, this exhibit could look like limited quarters.
In Hot Pink Flamingos
4. Guest: I heard that this global warming stuff is a natural cycle and it happens every so often. So why is everyone making such a big deal of it?
This person is looking at the issue through the doubtful frame (remember the Six Americas segments?). They acknowledge something is happening, but they don’t see any connection to human activity.
5. Guest: I think all this attention to climate change is dangerous. It’s drawing our attention away from serious economic issues that we must deal with immediately before our economy collapses.
This guest is using the economic frame to view the issue. They may be concerned about employment, the relative value of our currency, declining investments—many things may be driving their focus on economics. These are, indeed, very important and timely concerns.
6. Guest: How come the Aquarium isn’t taking a stronger stand on climate change and the oceans? I think it’s the most serious threat we have ever faced as a species. We should be signing petitions to send to Washington!
This guest is definitely looking through the alarmed frame, and they expect us to be alarmed as well. This can actually be one of the more challenging conversations to have with a guest.
7. Guest: I can’t believe I paid nearly $100 to being my family to the aquarium, only to be subjected to all this conservation propaganda. I expected to have a fun time with my kids.
Obviously there’s the facilitator/responsible parent frame here. But it also sounds like exposure to conservation messages was outside their expectations—that wasn’t part of the frame.
8. Guest: Look at the record snowfall they’ve been having on the East Coast. That has to be proof that there is no global warming.
9. Guest: These leafy sea dragons are the most amazing animals I ever saw. Why can’t I photograph them?
10 Guest: As I understand it, carbon dioxide is absolutely necessary for plants to thrive. So wouldn’t that be good for the planet? Good for the oceans?
11. Guest: I heard that scientists disagree on climate change. If the scientists aren’t sure, why are we sacrificing our standard of living to combat this “questionable” concern?
12. Guest: China and India are the real culprits here with all their new coal plants and cars. Why should we give up everything when they’re going to keep on polluting and strengthening their economies?
13. Guest: I saw a news story last week that we’re catching and killing all these giant squid (Humboldt squid) off Monterey Bay. Shouldn’t we be protecting them? They’re not edible are they?
14. Guest: I was at the Bat Ray Pool and it looks like all the bat rays are trying to get out of the exhibit to get away from people trying to touch them. Why don’t you let them go?
15. Guest: Isn’t it bad for all those penguins to be cooped up together? Aren’t they overcrowded in that exhibit? And why don’t you give them snow and ice so they feel at home?