Data Center Resistance – The Social Psychology Behind It

Somewhere in the U.S. right now, a tech company is planning to develop a data center. And when the community learns about it, there’s going to be a reaction.

And for community residents, it won’t be about a zoning dispute. It’s going be grounded deep in human psychology -- doing exactly what it's wired to do when people feel blindsided, betrayed, or steamrolled by forces bigger than themselves.

In this episode, we walk through the social psychology that is fueling the data-center backlash playing out across the country right now — and we translate it into plain, real-world English and talk about how it’s showing up in the resistance.

For PR pros, once you understand what's actually being triggered in the minds of community residents, the resistance makes complete sense.

And you’ll understand why this podcast beats the drum about modern PR being founded on social psychology — and not journalism.

Because when it comes to the data-center backlash, no amount of storytelling will fix it.

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Struggle no more to tell your leadership what your value is to the organization. Join the movement to help change the conversation inside our organizations about public relations (a.k.a - communications, corporate comm, marcom, public-information office, etc.). We've heard you, seen your frustration on LinkedIn -- being disregarded, left out, treated like an afterthought. But we sometimes are creating our own headaches by how we talk about our profession. So we've designed some items we think you'll like -- and these "tools" will start the conversation for you. Check them out here!

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Send topic ideas and mailbag questions for a future episode to podcast@prthing.com We would love to hear from you!

HOST BIO (a.k.a. Who is this woman who can't stop talking about PR?) https://www.audible.com/author/Stephanie-McFarland/B00YNFH16E

Episode 60: American Sentiment Sends Early Warning Signal to Elected Leaders

In every burg, bend, hollow, and hamlet across this country, Americans are talking to each other — and they don't believe elected leaders are listening, unless it's to hear themselves talk into a microphone, a camera, or for a headline.

In this episode, we dig into five sentiments surfacing again and again in conversations, interviews, and social commentary across the country — from how Americans want to work and eat, to how they want to heal, to how often they feel the government's hand reaching into their pocket.

Underneath it all is an early warning signal for anyone elected to, or running for, office: this isn't a partisan complaint. It's coming from Americans across the spectrum who feel unheard — and they may remember it on election day.

Buckle up . . . because this episode is brutally real.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Struggle no more to tell your leadership what your value is to the organization. Join the movement to help change the conversation inside our organizations about public relations (a.k.a - communications, corporate comm, marcom, public-information office, etc.). We've heard you, seen your frustration on LinkedIn -- being disregarded, left out, treated like an afterthought. But we sometimes are creating our own headaches by how we talk about our profession. So we've designed some items we think you'll like -- and these "tools" will start the conversation for you. Check them out here!

NEW RESOURCE PAGE (a.k.a FREE STUFF) Visit our new resource landing page to check out free downloads and tools to help you lead, manage and implement top-notch PR in your organization. Click here

GOT TOPIC IDEAS? WE WANT TO HEAR THEM!

Send topic ideas and mailbag questions for a future episode to podcast@prthing.com We would love to hear from you!

HOST BIO (a.k.a. Who is this woman who can't stop talking about PR?) https://www.audible.com/author/Stephanie-McFarland/B00YNFH16E

FIFA World Cup — A Relationship Building Blitz

The 2026 FIFA World Cup not only brought the world's best "football" to American soil — it also brought the world's people together. And what happened next was something no marketing campaign could have planned.

In this episode, we listen to the mass of social media commentary that poured in from fans around the globe — their shock, their delight, their gratitude, and yes, their apologies. From the size of a Costco to the generosity of strangers buying rounds for people they'd never met, from Texas Roadhouse revelations to a TSA ranch-dressing crisis, the world got to see America as Americans know it to be — warm, generous, big-hearted, and a little extra.

From the Tartan Army, to the Norwegians who introduced us to Erling Haaland, to the John Denver sing-alongs that filled stadiums and united nations, and the farewells from people genuinely sad to see it all end -- it was a time most will never forget.

But underneath all the fun, there's something much bigger here — a real-world demonstration of what happens when people tune out the media and spend time together. This year's World Cup games in the United States can be described as relationship capital at it best, built one interaction at a time, on the grandest possible stage.

This one may leave you smiling.