11:42 PM
Controversy
strikes, and that’s when Public Relations (PR) professionals often times step
in. In the realms of Crisis PR, approaching the situation with a method in mind
can help to take the impulsive error out of the situation. And when it comes to
theories, there are several.
The
classic Kantian theory, Deontology, basically states that right is right and
wrong is wrong, regardless of the consequences that come from them. This
theory, to me, seems severely dated and isn’t really practical in the way of
modern-day thinking. Today, actions are painted in either black or white.
Things aren’t either good or bad. A lot of the times, actions and their
intentions fall in the shaded gray area between the two.
In
the case of Crisis PR situations, sometimes a lie can be told for the greater
good. Sometimes the truth can be told to initiate trust between the public and
the client. Actions are dependent on the cause of the situation, and whatever
action taken, whether it be telling a lie or the truth, can be justified if it’s
for the greater good of the public.
Last
week a story broke about a baseball play lying about his age and name to the
media, the team, and on the team roster. In the eyes of Kant, this action is
wrong. A lie is a lie. And a lie is back. There is no other way around it.
However,
it has not broken yet as to why he lied. There could have been a deeper issue
that caused him to take the action. His intentions might have not been harmful
or unethical at all. Maybe, to him, it was a harmless action, and he wasn’t
trying to make a personal game from it. Maybe he was. But according to the
Kantian rule, neither of that matters. He lied, and so he was unethical.
The
theory that can apply in today’s modern world of PR is the Virtue Ethics
theory, which is also known as the Aristotle’s “Golden Mean.” This theory
basically states that a person with a good character and good habits will
naturally do what’s right.
This
theory applies in today’s society because it deals more with a person’s nature
rather than their actions. Though classes are taught to shape PR professional
hopefuls in the realms of Public Relations, it still takes natural character to
determine a person’s actions. Good and bad; right and wrong vary with each individual.
However, if a person as a good character and good habits, he will more than likely
do what is right. The Virtue Ethics theory is a theory that will never become
dated.
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