I've sounded off excessively already today (in fact, I still have one post floating out there somewhere from hours ago), but I had to respond to this direct query
Yep, I'm the master of mind control, all right -- as anyone can tell from my phenomenal success swaying opinion on this list.
I've said this before, and I'll say it again -- what surprises me about PR isn't how subtle or sophistical it is but how obvious the lies are. People believe them because they want to believe them.
I would argue that most PR is a vanity-press-type operation -- with releases, speeches, etc. written to flatter the client's opinion of him/herself and not intended seriously to change opinions.
I think most people, deep down, understand that businesses are totally self-serving and business people, utterly full of shit. But they also know their livelihoods depend on those businesses, so they just tune out the propaganda.
Carl Remick