The misleading nature of American military recruitment ads

[mrdevious]

There is a valid point when some folk point out that everybody killed in our latest conflicts joined the service voluntarily. BUT, since it's volunteer I also get pissed off that the military's recruitment ads don't give any indication of the real experience, the fact that you'll have to kill and possibly be killed; instead it's a lot of inspiring music with soldiers climbing walls, jumping out of airplanes, sailing mighty aircraft carriers, enthusiastic chorus's of young soldiers yelling "yeah!" while doing so, and teaching alien women to love (well I added that last one from the futurama when Fry joined the military).

Point is, this romanticisation of the whole experience disgusts me. If American politicians want to send people's kids off to die, they can at least not feed them a bunch of bullshit about what they'll be facing. It's not like they can't make ads showing a realistic portrayal of the experience, we already have them out in Canada!

YouTube - New CF Recruting Ads

mrdevious Reviewed by mrdevious on 05-31-2007. The misleading nature of American military recruitment ads There is a valid point when some folk point out that everybody killed in our latest conflicts joined the service voluntarily. BUT, since it's volunteer I also get pissed off that the military's recruitment ads don't give any indication of the real experience, the fact that you'll have to kill and possibly be killed; instead it's a lot of inspiring music with soldiers climbing walls, jumping out of airplanes, sailing mighty aircraft carriers, enthusiastic chorus's of young soldiers yelling Rating: 5

[Psycho4Bud]

Well since ya posted a recruitment flick for a Canadian armed force I'll take it ya meant those neo-cons to the north of us here when ya say America. I guess their part of it too.....LOL.

Ya know though, when they show a flick of people running around with assault rifles, throwing gernades into rooms, etc........shouldn't people give the drift? I know that probably looks like a Canadian hunting party to you guys but down here we take it that this means ya might be in harms way from time to time possibly expected to shoot them things at a person.

Here's a few adds that say, "GET R DONE"!:thumbsup:

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZaWvE0xiB8[/YOUTUBE]
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiVP9aOfOQM&mode=related&search=[/YOUTUBE]

Have a good one!:s4:

[mrdevious]

Well since ya posted a recruitment flick for a Canadian armed force I'll take it ya meant those neo-cons to the north of us here when ya say America. I guess their part of it too.....LOL.

You misunderstanda P4B, I showed a Canadian recruitment ad because I said, right before it, that the latest Canadian ads are at least more honest (IE the pleasant nailbomb in there). Canadian recruitment ads had just as much bullshit before this particular campaign, I just think this is a step in the right direction.

BTW, I feel I should point out that I'm not out to get the "neo-cons". I'm not very impressed with the Republican party, but then I'm just as disappointed in the Canadian Liberal party who's reign of stupidity thankfully ended after 13 long years. I may not support Iraq, but I'm hardly a hardcore lefty and I support the war effort in Afghanistan 100% since day one. America's our friends and allies, lets hope your guys and mine will keep kicking some Taliban ass:thumbsup:.

Ya know though, when they show a flick of people running around with assault rifles, throwing gernades into rooms, etc........shouldn't people give the drift? I know that probably looks like a Canadian hunting party to you guys but down here we take it that this means ya might be in harms way from time to time possibly expected to shoot them things at a person.

I don't know man, i was pretty disappointed by those ads. Same old inspiring music, mostly images of guys spinning rifles, driving nifty machinery, jumping out of planes, running around in fields, and generally looking cool. It's a given that they're going to be armed with guns and tanks, where's the actual combat? Where's the gritty, cold, hard reality of war? All this inspiring music and vague images being flashed is just what I'm talking about, it looks more like a recruitment ad for the School of Rambo-Schwarzeneggar-BruceWillis sexy ass-kicking heroes.

Have a good one!:s4:

You too. Happy toking buddy!:jointsmile:

[fishman3811]

WOW P4B i like the first add where do i sign up?Seriously i like the first add it looks like some hollywood director made it.But the object of the adds is to get people to sign up if you showed the reality of war nobody would sign up for it.

[fishman3811]

BTW im against the war in Afghanistan why the fuck should our kids get killed for a corrupt government let that government fight for their shitty country.

[mrdevious]

BTW im against the war in Afghanistan why the fuck should our kids get killed for a corrupt government let that government fight for their shitty country.

Well, because I believe an alliance is about mutual protection. The Taliban directly funded, sheltered, supplied, and worked with AlQaeda. AlQaeda directly attacked America and slaughtered thousands of civilians, if that's not a pretext for war I don't know what is.

I also support it because they are one of the most backwards, oppressive, and brutal regimes that this planet has ever seen. They commit horrible abuses of human rights, keep the people in extreme poverty, keep the society in the dark ages, rule as feudal lords, allow the larges opium/heroin trade in the world (I know we are too, but it's necessary until we can establish a healthy economy), support terrorism and thereby the wholesale slaughter of civilians, indoctrinate the people with hate for the west, beat and execute women in public for the most rediculous shit like walking unescorted or learning to read..... heck I'm sure I'm missing some things. The Taliban are the scum of the Earth, the cancer on Middle Eastern society, if anybody's worth abolishing I would think it would be those assholes.

[rebgirl420]

^^ beautifully stated

[fishman3811]

Wait a minute the Taliban tried to stop the opium trade and it actually went down while they were in power.Yes they were a brutal regime like you stated but its not our job to get rid of them its the Afghans job.Plus there are far worse regimes than them in this world.

[medicinal]

You guys got a bit off topic, Here's a perfect example of treachery: Goldie Hawn In Private Benjamin. The tropical paradise afforded her in the recruitment film was certainly not what she got, samo, samo!

[Gigliozzi]

Devious, you'd be surprised to know how many European publications and talk shows are seriously much quicker to defend the Taliban against the United States.

But hey, until recently, we ourselves had Kurt Vonnegut in this country.

About the ads: I understand your point. My only comeback would be that, like Psycho4Bud said, it should be pretty obvious that when you join the army you're going to have to put up with a lot of shit, but that would be pretty lame.

That being said, you can't single out the United States army for downplaying its drawbacks (i.e.: you might get killed). Everyone who's got something to sell or propagate does that. It's a market strategy... or rather, a market no-brainer.

But about the ads you posted: come on, now. How are you going to tell me they don't reek of just as much sensationalism as their American counterparts? That first one? The way it's directed, with the suspense and edgy music, it practically screams out, "Look at how fucking exciting this!"

The whole "Fight [insert endurance-related noun]" gimmick: what's the unspoken logic behind that?

"You CAN fight fear. You CAN fight distress. You CAN fight chaos. You can, because you're tougher than that. You're badass. In other words, you're cooler."

It's just pumping the inclined viewer into believing he/she can overcome and endure all those hardships, and by doing so, feel much more superior to those untrained, chickenshit mortals who can't.

No one gets hurt in those ads. No one gets killed. It just looks like everyone's having a lot of fun doing awesome, righteous shit.

Or am I wrong?