Can and should public relations practitioners try to influence public opinion? Are there limits to ...

Answer: There are times when it is appropriate to seek to persuade someone else to accept your point of view. Generally, people will not act against their own self-interests. Persuasion is an ethical process through which consensus and approval are gained. When used to that end, persuasion is a compliance-gaining tactic. The ideal situation is finding a common ground where values and interests intersect. Manipulation, by its very nature, suggests something underhanded. While it is true that there may be short-term gains to be reaped by telling half-truths or by putting narrow interests ahead of broader ones, manipulation also risks long-term damage to the practitioner's credibility. It also runs contrary to the view of public relations as a problem-solving discipline whose practitioners seek out alternatives that are mutually beneficial to all parties concerned.