Wolves and Dogs

Please pardon the following gross oversimplification. All canines started out wild. It was not till years had passed before some began allowing themselves to be lured in by humans for free food and shelter. Eventually they became domesticated. This is how we came to have dogs as pets. As a self-described dog person, I have no complaints. Several of the greatest loves of my life have been dogs. Checkers was my faithful companion while growing up and Dusty took over that role when I entered into adulthood. Unfortunately, both are gone now, but my memories of them linger on in a very positive way. But I digress.

Yes, we have dogs. But we also have wolves. These critters continue to live in the wild, not taking the path toward domestication. They have a will of their own and basically do whatever they can to ensure their own survival. They are not our friends, nor do they want to be. Nevertheless, they deserve respect and have as much right to live on this planet as any other living creature, including humans. I mention wolves and dogs because I cannot help equate them with journalists and public relations practitioners. Both started out from the communications gene pool. Yet one chose to remain in the wild while the other selected a life of domesticity.

A journalist's existence is one of detachment. This person observes, reports and attempts to learn the who, what, where, when, why and how of what goes on around them. Their survival lies in how well and accurately they answer these fundamental questions. They challenge, they poke, and they pry. Public relations practitioners also observe and strive to learn the fundamental facts of things. Their lives are the opposite of detachment. Being domesticated, they work with those who employ them to determine how best to communicate what they learn. Interestingly, as is the case with journalists, a public relations practitioner's survival is based on how well and accurately they report what they know. The two are forever connected, yet forever distinct as well.