Keeping Information Simple

Basically, there are three primary purposes of public relations: persuade or promote, create partnerships and inform. These days I confess to being a bit worried about "inform." To inform or enlighten another, inform refers to sharing or passing along information. For instance, how many Oscars was Marlon Brando awarded? Information can be collected to answer such an inquiry. (Answer: two.) Or how many times did Ted Williams hit over .400 for a season? Again, there is information to address that. (Answer: once). But then there is information that is not so straightforward.

Let us take the national debt. At present, it hovers around $20 trillion. (Yikes). That total has been on the increase for many years now. At the same time, in recent times the degree to which this national debt cuts into our gross national product has been dropping. So, one wonders, is the federal government finally getting a handle on its debt or is it simply getting worse and worse? Information needed to address such a question is not so straightforward. The answer often revolves around who is giving it. What is that person's perspective on economic policy? What political party do they belong to? Those variables can and do often shape how a person seeks to inform another.

Do I wish all information was straightforward? No, though it would make things easier. But I do wish those attempting to inform would do a better job of letting others know that often times answers are not so direct or easy. The media could do this? Also, any so called expert or partisan spokesperson could, too. Unfortunately, far too often those in the position to inform seem more concerned with persuading than they are informing. This results in the ongoing spread of misinformation and division. In today's climate, what seems so simple - informing - is actually pretty complex. Sadly, it does not have to be so long as folks focus on providing full information rather than only that portion of it that best suits them.