littleboxes
The Army
We read this today in an AP article about what the Army is doing to increase the number of new recruits:
Make more use of what DuBois calls "lead refinements" — the use of computer technology to refine recruiters' leads on potential enlistees. Using mathematical formulas based in part on demographics, a recruiter can more easily prioritize his or her high-payoff leads and thus become more productive. Ten of the Army's 41 recruiting battalions now use this technology; the Army wants to double it to 20 or more.
Some people read that and find nothing weird. Others may read it become a bit scared. We are part of the latter group. Demographics? OK, it's not as if the Army doesn't target specific groups at the moment or throughout history, but the thought of them becoming more effective at this is a bit crazy.
Most people who are interested in Military service are interested in military service and might seek it out. It becomes a bit more touchy when the Army is out convincing people to join up. The formulas are aimed at finding out which groups are the easiest to convince. Easiest to convince does not necessarily translate well into such concepts as "a good thing" or "beneficial to the individual."
Make more use of what DuBois calls "lead refinements" — the use of computer technology to refine recruiters' leads on potential enlistees. Using mathematical formulas based in part on demographics, a recruiter can more easily prioritize his or her high-payoff leads and thus become more productive. Ten of the Army's 41 recruiting battalions now use this technology; the Army wants to double it to 20 or more.
Some people read that and find nothing weird. Others may read it become a bit scared. We are part of the latter group. Demographics? OK, it's not as if the Army doesn't target specific groups at the moment or throughout history, but the thought of them becoming more effective at this is a bit crazy.
Most people who are interested in Military service are interested in military service and might seek it out. It becomes a bit more touchy when the Army is out convincing people to join up. The formulas are aimed at finding out which groups are the easiest to convince. Easiest to convince does not necessarily translate well into such concepts as "a good thing" or "beneficial to the individual."
posted by littleboxes at 12:30 PM
3 Comments:
h&r block (those fuckers...) has the same strategy to target refund anticipation loans to poor black women.
Uh, doesn't the U.S. have an all-volunteer army?
It is naive to think that the army should just sit back and wait for recruits. It is naive to think that army recruiting is always a swindle. It is also, however, naive to think that it is never a swindle.
Swindle is also a loaded term. It's not necessary that they are lying to anyone. They just use what we in the industry call selective salesmanship.
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