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Don’t get harpooned
It’s immensely flattering to be quoted in the media. Even better if you are spotted in the street. It validates your sense of self-worth and boosts your social status.
But before you take on a personal PR, heed the advice that Dennis Thatcher gave to Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York (which she resolutely ignored): ‘Whales only get harpooned when they spout.’
You need to be aware of the agenda of the media. It is not always to communicate the ‘truth’. More often, the primary objective is to simply sell more media. And the stuff that sells media is often not the reasoned messages you want to get across.
You might make a name for yourself initially. But pretty soon, you’re yesterday’s news. And then the media will need ...
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