The sensitive among you will think I'm ranting. But before you get your panties in a bunch hear me out. Check out the first vid...
The guy looks good. He looks like a Marine. Box checked. He's shown going back through his neighborhood. Ok. It goes against the theme that we're all Marines, light and dark green but all Marines, but we'll check that box too. Its the ending that has me wondering where Headquarters Marine Corps and its advertising agency are at. Once again we see the "Meals on Wheels" promotion of the Marine Corps.
I mean seriously. With commercials like this, can you tell the difference between USAID and the Marine Corps? You still don't get it? Ok, let me be a bit more clear. Without the uniforms, without the weapons and without the heavy machinery what is the difference between the message being sent out by the world's finest fighting organization and the Peace Corps?
Quite honestly if the type of person that the Marine Corps is attempting to recruit is jazzed about helping people around the world (and yes even here at home) then the Marine Corps is going to lose that recruiting war. If the Marine Corps is going by polling then my theory that the closer to Washington D.C. the dumber you get is in full force. Do you really believe that pollsters actually get the real story? Do you believe that once a person is in the pipeline to becoming a Marine that he isn't going to say exactly what he/she believes the interviewer wants to hear?
The goal is to recruit more gays, women and minorities. Maybe this will work but the "old" style recruiting commercials were more in keeping with the Marine Corps ethos and they even talked about the ethical warrior...
The guy looks good. He looks like a Marine. Box checked. He's shown going back through his neighborhood. Ok. It goes against the theme that we're all Marines, light and dark green but all Marines, but we'll check that box too. Its the ending that has me wondering where Headquarters Marine Corps and its advertising agency are at. Once again we see the "Meals on Wheels" promotion of the Marine Corps.
I mean seriously. With commercials like this, can you tell the difference between USAID and the Marine Corps? You still don't get it? Ok, let me be a bit more clear. Without the uniforms, without the weapons and without the heavy machinery what is the difference between the message being sent out by the world's finest fighting organization and the Peace Corps?
Quite honestly if the type of person that the Marine Corps is attempting to recruit is jazzed about helping people around the world (and yes even here at home) then the Marine Corps is going to lose that recruiting war. If the Marine Corps is going by polling then my theory that the closer to Washington D.C. the dumber you get is in full force. Do you really believe that pollsters actually get the real story? Do you believe that once a person is in the pipeline to becoming a Marine that he isn't going to say exactly what he/she believes the interviewer wants to hear?
The goal is to recruit more gays, women and minorities. Maybe this will work but the "old" style recruiting commercials were more in keeping with the Marine Corps ethos and they even talked about the ethical warrior...
If your primary reason for joining the Marine Corps is anything other than "to kill the enemies of your nation" than you need to
ReplyDeletereevaluate your your desicion to enlist.
THANK YOU! YOU GET IT!!!! i wonder how the guys in Quantico could have gotten so far off the tracks!
DeleteI think the Marine recruiters are going with the trends of the nation as they perceive them. We have justified our wars since Desert Storm (as far as I can remember)as missions to save the helpless, restore order, and all that jazz.
ReplyDeleteAs our society becomes more liberalized, I think many (including in the services) see promoting these types of missions to justify continued funding of the military. Half of country has a problematic attitude regarding our countries military might. Dressing it up in the clothing of an aide organization, makes it more palatable to them.
I think this is all very problematic for our forces and nation.. We will continue to justify getting ourselves involved in every dust storm around the world, having our soldiers continue to fill the role of gloried of care givers and peace keepers(AKA walking targets).
the Marine Corps knows better. its doing this trash yet at the same time advertising on UFC. why? because this shit is for show but the real demographic that they want to reach are those young people that want to hook and jab for our nation.
Deleteone other point. our country isn't liberal, what it is is divided. i hope for an economic shit storm to hit. once people realize that govt can't protect them and that they must stand up for themselves then we'll see national renewal.
The Marine Corps will make itself irrelevant and/or become a Corps of pillow biters. Really sad that the Corps is more concerned with its survival at any pc cost than doing what's right. Maybe I'm old fashioned - chicks are not in the combat arms or play football. Guys gotta have their own guy things.
ReplyDeletegute
This ad campaign is not designed to recruit nor designed to recruit a non traditional demographic. It's a political gesture. If by chance it manages to inspire someone who just wants to help people while serving their country I have every confidence the Corps can manage their attitude and mold them properly.
ReplyDeleteIt's an illusion that football or combat is a guy thing. It's a small percentage of guys. Most men seek to avoid confrontation.
i smell pussy....mixed with bullshit.
DeleteReally because most men in America aren't playing in fantasy league's and/or video games but are REALLY doing contact sports. Sol the vast majority of men in America wouldn't seriously consider joining the military and only a small percentage of the military are actually in combat arms.
DeleteFrankly I think you read what I wrote rather quickly and took the opposite meaning of what I intended. I'm saying what we normally consider to be "guy things" are really spectator activities performed by a small minority of men. It's that small minority of men that are actually the guys with the majority operating under the illusion they're part of that small group. If you think most American men are really into "guy things" fine, I don't.
i still smell pussy.
Deleteme and my friends lift weights, hunt, drive cars too fast, drink beer, drink whiskey and are more than willing to hook and jab at jokers that deserve it.
additionally we have been there and done that and we're guys that do guy stuff. SOUNDS LIKE YOU NEED A BETTER GROUP OF FRIENDS. pussy is as pussy does.
Whatever dude. It does keep cracking me up when you act like you know me so I hesitate to do anything to get you to stop.
ReplyDeleteNot all my friends still drink too much or drive too fast. Most don't hunt, some hunt deer, some prefer bow hunting for boar. Most don't know how to fight very well, some do, and some still like to fight or at least spar. I think maybe half my friends did play football and the other half are probably never going to get more physical than some exercise machine they have at home. A lot of my friends are in law enforcement and two others are felons. I like em all fine, even the ones who still have something to prove.
Lane, obviously I don't know you either, but IMO what you wrote is a little too philosophical for me. What you may be referring to are warriors, which most of the men in our society are not. Warriors tend to be undisciplined at times (drink too much, drive too fast, like fast women - all the good stuff) There do seem to be more warrior like men in some parts of the country than other parts. Personally, I believe all males through k-12 should be involved in combat sports, know how to use weapons, be educated and chivilrous (I also believe orphans should be trained to be assasains - my wife thinks I'm sick). Not like Sparta -they were corn holers and helmet buffers, but a soldier society. Unfortunately, like in my area of the country the left coast Adam Corrola's most recent book We Will All Be Chicks In 50 Years seems to be the future.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the Corps is concerned it is all about a mindset and from my experience in the Corps we all had it - even the guys in the air wing. I did not know or have I ever heard of a guy who joined the Marine Corps for the "college money". What guy doesn't like football or guns and explosions? Sure, there might be one or two out of a hundred guys. Unfortunately that guy becomes President.
Look at me I got all philosophical. I think your outlook is just based on the dudes you hang out with aqnd that is definitely a minority of people compared to others' experiences.
"one other point. our country isn't liberal, what it is is divided. i hope for an economic shit storm to hit. once people realize that govt can't protect them and that they must stand up for themselves then we'll see national renewal"
Straight to the point and well said. Agree 100%, but would prefer not see the economic shit storm.
A warrior poet. I'm glad you stopped by. Lane had me punching walls. I don't get his type thinking. I also agree with you on NOT wanting the economic shit storm but I don't see any other way for the United States to make a comeback.
ReplyDeleteYour line had me cracking up...
" What guy doesn't like football or guns and explosions? Sure, there might be one or two out of a hundred guys. Unfortunately that guy becomes President."
PRICELESS!!!!!!!!
I get where Lane is coming from. I think he is more like us then not. He is most likely surronded by the types of dudes that he wrote about. You definitely live in "man" country - me, not so much or at least in "Portlandia". But, I can say that during my 20 years in law enforcement 99.9% of the guys I've worked with have been 100% guy - its a mindset.
DeleteMarine corps General Mattis is the true warrior poet. Matter of fact I believe that's his nickname. One of my favorite quotes comes from Mattis, "Powerpoint makes us stupid".
Civil War weekend - Go Beavs
gute
we got our yesterday. LSU 20, Arkansas pigs on a stick Razorbacks 17...i hope Oregon State, USC and Auburn all kill today.
DeleteLSU vs. Georgia in the SEC championship...LSU vs. Kansas St in the championship game.
End of the 1Q 7-6 Beavs.
ReplyDeleteI don't have anything against UGA per say, but there is no way in my mind that they should get a shot at the BCS after getting hammered by SC earlier in the season. I think Nick Satan and Bamma will roll again this year.
I'm an idiot - how do I get a regular sign in?
"Nick Satan" oh yeah you'd find you'd get along good down here. as for a regular sign in, just either use or get a google account. or link facebook and a number of other social networks.
DeleteIt's actually interesting to me how well I'm failing to make my view clear. So here's another shot:
ReplyDeleteMost of your friends personally might be guys and like guy things. Most men in America are probably reasonably nice people but they're sheep. They are more likely to play fantasy football than football. When I say 'meat tastes like murder and murder tastes good' real men grin or laugh or at least get it but most American men tend to wince, at least in my experience.
I just don't see the majority of American men as being really MEN anymore. I'm certainly not saying most of your personal friends aren't "guys". In my experience the average American will back down from a confrontation. Maybe I am talking more alpha dog or maybe because I've got a diverse group of friends my view of people also tends to be diverse.
To try and simplify it the average American male isn't capable of having my back. They can't take care of themselves. Doesn't mean we can't be friends or that I won't look out for them or that they can't be basically decent folks. Maybe from my way of thinking this is part of being a "real guy". Maybe all your friends are like that and that's great but I don't think most American's are, which is a shame.
I certainly agree everyone should learn some form of self defense but I'm not sure even most police officers know enough. One of my instructors recently mentioned that few of his fellow officers are interested and not one stuck with it more than a couple months; moreover, he said there not a lot is offered through the dept, maybe one class a year. I've not idea how typical this situation is?
Very typical because it is difficult to get everyone re-certified with their difficult schedules be it shifts, court, and leave. Also, as you get older parts of the body get hurt much, much easier than it used to. DTs for my agency are MMA based, re-certification is once a year, but we do shoot every quarter. We would all like to shoot more, but finding the time and the location can be difficult. Anyways, in a real down and dirty fight a lot of that stuff goes right out the window. Be it physics (big guy against little guy, stronger against weaker) fuck arm bars, elbow strikes, etc - I'm gonna shoot you in the face.
DeleteI understand where you are coming from when you wrote 'sheep'. But, I believe that has a lot to do with where you live and prevailing attitudes and beliefs in your area. For me living in the PacNW there are definitely a lot of guys and not men. You wrote about fantasy football instead of and playing the real thing - IMO that's not a good example - not practical as you get older. Backing down from confrontation is, but I believe there are a couple of reasons for it. Firstly, to many guys it is not worth it - been there, done that before and in the end it got me nowhere. Secondly, people today get thrown in jail or sued for looking at someone cross eyed.
Having a diverse group of friends has a lot to do with what you do. Personally, too much diversity ends up being chaotic. Also, there are just some types of people and beliefs I don't want to associate with. IMO a person who claims to be diverse in beliefs is not necessarily more enlightened (this is not directed you - general statement).
And finally, IMO many woman don't want a real man because to them real men are pigs. Real men won't put up with their feminist b.s. and that doesn't sit well with the supposedly "educated" women in the U.S. What amuses me about them is that it's only like this because of the rule of law - nothing else.
gute