Today’s New York Times was no optical illusion.  As if often the case when public relations gets significant attention from the newspaper of record, it’s not positive.

The “On Language” column in the Magazine retraced old steps in making the case that “optics” is just the latest bit of industry jargon used to suggest there is some science to the art of public relations.

Here is a pertinent bit: “Of course, elected officials have worried about outward appearances since time immemorial, but optics puts a new spin on things, giving a scientific-sounding gloss to P.R. and image-making.”  Taking more pains to make things look right than be right is not limited to elected officials, though they make a good case study.

Without using the “O” word, the President’s public relations guy, David Axelrod, took it on the chin on page one for much of the same reason.  Here is a pertinent bit from that story: “’The Obama White House has lost the narrative in the way that the Obama campaign never did,’ said James Morone, a political scientist at Brown University. ‘They essentially took the president’s great strength as a messenger and failed to use it smartly.’”

Optics is jargon for the way things look and when they look bad, rehabilitating a reputation is more than a math problem. Ask Toyota after viewing the worldwide Oscars broadcast.  Co-host Steve Martin noted that two best director nominees, James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow once were married.  He said “the pair congratulated each other by exchanging presents: a gift basket with a timer from Bigelow and a Toyota from Cameron.”  Ouch.

Each case points up a problem the public relations industry has created for itself — arguing that the science of the profession trumps its art.  Science might suggest that once something is proved, it is OK to move on to something else.  Fermat’s Theorem has finally been solved, what’s next? But public relations is far more like art, changing with the popular tastes of the day, with lines being drawn and redrawn.  It is science that helps the artist understand expectations so that they can be met or upended as best works for the task.

There is an earlier version of the Mona Lisa lurking below the surface of the one hanging in the Louvre.  And much like the wisdom in the old joke about how to get to Carnegie Hall (“practice, practice, practice”), persistence is the essential virtue of public relations. Persistence  — practice — make public relations professionals better at the business.  Take care of the small things and the optics take care of themselves or at least the right choices will become obvious.