| A Mega-Frame is like the ornate framing that | | | | words represent values embraced by most people in |
| surrounds a picture or painting. It encloses and | | | | western worlld. They are anchors for the aspirations |
| defines information. Amateur and professional artists | | | | of our communities and few individuals would venture |
| deeply appreciate the value of framing: the right | | | | to challenge them. Each person will have his or her |
| frames will enhance their pictures - the wrong frames | | | | own personal interpretation of what they mean, |
| will devalue them. Many an artist has created works | | | | however, in all but a few cases, the feelings people |
| that have not become truly expressive or beautiful | | | | associate with the words will be positive ones.Virtue |
| until they have been enclosed in the right | | | | mega-frames educe unconscious acceptance of the |
| frame.Framing has a long and rich history. The | | | | content in which they are wrapped. They add |
| Sophists of ancient Greece were masterful framers | | | | immense power to your presentation because most |
| and re-framers. Aristotle coined the word "atechnoi" | | | | people embrace them as self-evident truths. Review |
| to describe it. One of ancient Rome's greatest | | | | the following opening sentences and notice how a |
| orators, Cicero, elevated frames ("statis") to an art | | | | strong virtue frame helps the speaker evoke |
| form. His speeches are still studied by students of | | | | powerful emotional responses to support her |
| influence and rhetoric.Mega-framing describes | | | | case:"This is not an issue about governments |
| Strategic or psychological framing and underpins the | | | | resuming private land to subdivide and on-sell. This is |
| art of managing perception. It takes in the 'big | | | | an issue about freedom. Freedom from the greedy |
| picture' rather than detail. It may be an overarching | | | | intentions of bureaucrats who want to fund their |
| theme that enjoins or describes the detail in your | | | | grandiose projects by robbing you of your birthright; |
| presentation, or it may link all your points to a lesson, | | | | freedom to live your life on a piece of rural Australia |
| a purpose or a moral.Mega-frames are powerful | | | | without fear that the land of your labour can be |
| because they allow you to enclose your message | | | | snatched from you; freedom from the whims of |
| within a framework of higher intentions, virtues or a | | | | fat-cats who live hundreds of miles away, never |
| big-picture concept generally understood or held to | | | | having experienced life in a close rural community.I |
| be true by most people. This is termed frame | | | | know that, as small landowners, you value freedom |
| alignment, and it refers to the linkage of a message | | | | above all else. Why else would have you chosen to |
| to a set of common interests, values or beliefs, so | | | | build your life here, free from all the contaminations |
| as to position a speaker and audience as one.In | | | | of big-city life? Now is the time to fight for the |
| selecting a mega-frame, your aim can be to link your | | | | justice of your cause; to fight for your freedom; to |
| total presentation to one major idea, high principle or | | | | send an unequivocal message to those who would |
| key value.Every society is rooted in deep sets or | | | | destroy your community forever.And know that your |
| clusters of ideals. In western society, for example, | | | | calls will be heard by many decent-minded country |
| we 'believe' in democracy. From that belief comes a | | | | Australians. They will help you in your fight, because |
| raft of 'virtues', represented by abstracts such as | | | | they know that you must never, never, never, give |
| Freedom of Speech, the Right to Choose, Respect | | | | in to bully boys from the big city, who, like common |
| for Individual Rights, Freedom of Movement, Equity in | | | | thieves, would take your freedom from you. They |
| Society (in some quarters), and so on.The key is to | | | | know that the price of giving in would be their |
| establish a legitimate association between your idea | | | | freedom too."In everyday life, you unconsciously |
| message/proposal/action and a universal virtue or | | | | assess information through the filters of your values, |
| value. Examine the following words and see if you | | | | beliefs, decisions and attitudes. Emotions, or feelings, |
| can detect a "virtue" in them. Put them into a | | | | erupt from the filtering process and drive action. It's |
| sentence, internalise them and notice the emotional | | | | a natural process and stepping up to virtue |
| responses they bring about.- goodness - health - love | | | | mega-frames taps into that process. It allows you to |
| - peace | | | | filter your message through the core values, beliefs |
| - choice - dream - happiness - fairness | | | | and embraced virtues of your audience.(c) 2006 |
| - liberty - vision - truth - justice | | | | Desmond GuilfoyleDesmond Guilfoyle in an award |
| - rights - honesty - opportunity - ethics | | | | winning commentator on influence, persuasion and |
| - safeguard - success - strength - prosperity | | | | charisma. He has written three books on those |
| - freedom - righteousness - self-control - family | | | | subjects and his book 'The Charisma Effect' has been |
| - safety - purity - empowerment - compassion | | | | published in seven languages around the globe. |
| - protection - relief - scientific - respectThe above | | | | |