To a considerable extent we are faced by a technology arms race with terrorists. The communications revolution has made it easier for terrorist groups to reach out to vulnerable individuals with their violent extremist ideology and propaganda. It has also facilitated fundraising recruitment and training.
The poetry and transgression that was so much of surrealism's anarchic force has been recruited into mainstream culture. It has been made commonplace by television and magazine merchandising by computer games and Internet visuals by film and MTV by the fashion shoot.
Most sailing ships take what they call trainees who pay to be part of the crew. The Picton Castle takes people who are absolutely raw recruits. But you can't just ride along. You're learning to steer the ship navigation you're pulling lines keeping a lookout in the galley you're cooking.
I feel that I and the people under my command tried to use all the traditional methods of recruiting agents which were also used by other intelligence services adopting also means like pressure money sex - but that did not characterize my service.
When I came to the CIA in the mid-'90s our graduating class of case officers was unbelievably low. Now after years of rebuilding our training programs and putting our best efforts to recruit the most talented men and women we are graduating more clandestine officers than at any time in the history of the Central Intelligence Agency.
I disagree with a lot of those changes however at the end of the day - I go down to recruit graduation at least once or twice a year.
Many dotcoms recruited people from existing companies who were quite experienced in finance marketing distribution and other disciplines but not necessarily experienced in the Web culture.
With 'Good Will Hunting ' Miramax made certain the recruited audience wasn't expecting to laugh at Robin Williams like they normally do. From my limited experience you can really blow test screenings by conducting them in the wrong way.
The best method for preventing destructive cult involvement is preventative education. If students and the public at large are more aware of destructive groups beforehand they may better understand and resist their recruitment efforts.
I recruited my dad to be my bass player and fired him on several occasions. He stayed on as a bus driver.
My senior year of high school when I was getting recruited for college my dad goes to me 'You can become an Olympic champion.' And that's the first time that I'd heard someone else say that to me. I was like 'Uh are you talking to me?'
Recruitment and retention are critical to sustain our Armed Forces with the best men and women willing to stand in the gap and make huge sacrifices to ensure our freedom.
A positive attitude is something everyone can work on and everyone can learn how to employ it.