The public relations industry needs reformation. In its current form, it is extremely dysfunctional and shallow. It is having a deleterious effect on our society. You don't like "cancel culture"? It can be traced to public relations. Tired of "Karens" who want to speak with the manager? The public relations industry helped create her. It treats the public as unsophisticated and easily persuaded.
Too many times public relations (p.r.) values the appearance of doing something over actually doing something. Public relations professionals often recommend their clients apologize during a controversy; facts be damned. Someone is mad, so apologize. I remember one of my communication professors in undergrad telling us that it doesn't matter what we communicated, all that matters is how it was received. In other words, it doesn't matter if the receiver didn't interpret the message correctly. That's the general consensus in many communication/public relations texts.
This is the SAME attitude of our current cancel culture. If a group of people are offended and want to "cancel" a business, celebrity, etc over some opinion, in this public relations paradigm fault lies on the canceled person, not on the easily offended. Nevermind that the offended people are upset over something really trivial or in context the offending incident wasn't as egregious. For example, recently the online mob was demanding Jeffree Star's cancellation because he named a makeup palette "Deceased" during a pandemic. It was so silly. The palette has NOTHING to do with the pandemic and had been in the works even before the virus but it is bad "public relations," I guess. You can never be contrite enough in the public relations world.
Another tenet of public relations is being proactive before any public backlash starts to rear its head. This means you respond immediately before a negative narrative forms. This type of thought might have been useful decades ago before social media but it is no longer feasible. Everyone has a platform now. You can't respond to everything. Being proactive in this environment might actually make you appear guilty of something.
Now on to this new "Karen" meme. P. R. has created an entitled public, where the loudest voices get appeased. The public is always right. According to LA Times, a Karen is someone who “demands the world exists according to her standards, with little or no regard for others, and she is willing to risk or demean others to achieve her ends.” P.R. has taught us whining gets you what you want. That's why "Karen" wants to speak to your manager because appeasement is easier than actually having to deal with her. God forbid she leaves a negative comment on Yelp, that would be bad public relations.
The Public Society of America defines p.r. as "a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.” It is oftentimes shallow and treats the public as unsophisticated. For example, if a company is accused of exploiting a group of people, the issue is dealt with at a very superficial level. The company will donate to some charity and viola p.r. crisis averted! It can also be argued it creates a mindset like "security theater." The real issue isn't actually being dealt with by the those in charge but it makes the public feel better.
P.R. needs reformation. Enough with the superficiality. The public is not dumb, they can handle the truth and honest conversations. We live in new times and new strategies need to be developed.
