Hidden intent.
When it comes to recruitment, organizations use many different tactics to try to get people to join. They may do it by using poems that stir us emotionally. They may do it by giving financial rewards or they may do it by using music. One of the ways that the US government recruit soldier is by promising ideals via the television set. Such tactic can be found in the wordings of a recent US Army and Marines recruitment ad.
US army Recruitment Commercial
Webster defines strong as having great physical power,
As having moral or intellectual power,
As striking or superior of its kind,
But with all due respect to Webster,
There’s strong.
And then there’s army strong.
It is a strength like none other.
It is a physical strength.
It is an emotional strength.
It is a strength of character,
And strength of purpose.
The strength to do good today,
And the strength to do well tomorrow.
The strength to obey.
And strength to command.
The strength to build, and strength to tear down.
The strength to get yourself over,
And strength to get over yourself.
There is nothing on this green earth,
That is strong than the US Army,
Because there is nothing on this green earth,
That is stronger than a US Army Soldier.
Army Strong.
Marines Recruiting Commercial
For Honor.
For Courage.
For Country.
The Few.
The Proud.
The Marines
The words are very powerful because they are broad. They do not tell us much about the missions that the soldiers embark on everyday. It gives us a general meaning so that we can fill in our own reason for joining. In addition, the music is powerful. It excites us emotionally so that we may decide to join. The imagery is powerful. It tells us these men are very respected and looked up to.
What are some reasons why a person might decide to join? It could be out of patriotism because they would like to contribute to the country they are living in. It could be out of self worth because they have no achieved much in their lifetime. It could be out of financial reasons because they can’t afford to pay for college tuitions. The list is endless. Whatever the reason may be, what they do not know is that their decision on a whim is a contract meant to be fulfilled by years and not by days. What they do not know is that many soldiers who come back from war suffer schizophrenia and nightmares that haunts them in the day.
I once thought about joining the army. I believe I would have joined it if I saw the commercial during my contemplation week. But now that I have passed that thought, I do not think it would have been a wise decision because I lacked knowledge. I was not prepared for the possible effects. I would not have made an informed decision. These are all tactics that prevents recruitment tactics from misleading us. I lacked every one of those components.
