Poll: would you die for your country?
- Thread starter gabe12301
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How is this pretty straight forward?gabe12301 said:
By "your country" do you mean:
Those of the people living in my country, whom i care about?
The agenda of the politicians ruling my country?
The actual piece of land itself?
The general political/relegious ideoligy of my country (which by default would be more or less the same as the politicians, in a democratic country)?
And achieving what by dying?
Dying to protect it from an invasion?
Help it further it's prosperity, possibly by taking over other countries, or taking stuff from other countries through military invasions?
Help protect it from possible future threads by pre-emptively attacking others who might become a threat?
Sacrificing myself to some diety?
As for your second part.
Where else would you live? what if you loved other countries as little as the one you're currently in? What if you didn't have the rescources to move to another country? What if you weren't allowed to move to whatever other country you'd rather want to live in?
Yeah, I'm pretty sure that it said somewhere in my enlistment papers that I'm to fight and possibly die for Australia, so I probably should say yes.
Plus, there's a hefty $100,000 profit if I do!
But I'd prefer the 'other' side's people to die for their's.
Plus, there's a hefty $100,000 profit if I do!
But I'd prefer the 'other' side's people to die for their's.
Nope, they're just borders which shift around all the time and only have value as animals marking their territory. But I'd die for the people of my country. Sociological system are a completely different story.
That's a very biased question, because it assumes that if you're not willing to die for your country, you'll be willing to die for someone else's. The fact of the matter is that if you don't want to die for your own country, you're probably not going to want to die for any other country either, but in the end you're going to have to live somewhere.gabe12301 said:
No, I would not. I just happened to be born here, and I feel no special connection to it beyond the immersion I've had within my community. Heck, I still hate the damned weather here..
However, I would die for humanity. No single nation, but humanity as a whole. I could think of no greater sacrifice than to die for the safety of any entire planet..
However, I would die for humanity. No single nation, but humanity as a whole. I could think of no greater sacrifice than to die for the safety of any entire planet..
I don't love any country: they're an archaic and inefficient way for humanity to govern the world. I will just let it rest at that, no good will come from blathering amid the maelstrom of comments.
But loving a country (as a concept) is just silly.
But loving a country (as a concept) is just silly.
Yes I would. I believe the country in which I was born, although not inherently BETTER than other countries, has enough straightened out that if my death would serve my country, I'd die for it
Okay, country's gone.
No documents or anything. No flag. Just a bunch of land and some people.
Welp, let's get the customs back up and make a new country in the exact same space!
But this time let's call it Aotearoa instead of New Zealand because New Zealand is a fappy name.
No documents or anything. No flag. Just a bunch of land and some people.
Welp, let's get the customs back up and make a new country in the exact same space!
But this time let's call it Aotearoa instead of New Zealand because New Zealand is a fappy name.
My life belongs to no one but myself. "My Country" has no claim to it.
That said, if you are referring to military service, I will say that I have considered it, though not for any sort of ideals or for any faceless majority. If I am to join a group whose very job description involves willingly risking one's life, then I will do so to pursue my own personal goals. My country doesn't really enter into it.
My life is mine to give. I would not do so easily or recklessly. The only people who I may be willing to give it for is relatives, close friends, perhaps a lover and/or a family, should I choose to obtain one.
I will not let the propaganda machine try to turn me away from what I know to be true: my life is valuable. Too valuable for any political regime to attempt to stake a claim on.
That said, if you are referring to military service, I will say that I have considered it, though not for any sort of ideals or for any faceless majority. If I am to join a group whose very job description involves willingly risking one's life, then I will do so to pursue my own personal goals. My country doesn't really enter into it.
My life is mine to give. I would not do so easily or recklessly. The only people who I may be willing to give it for is relatives, close friends, perhaps a lover and/or a family, should I choose to obtain one.
I will not let the propaganda machine try to turn me away from what I know to be true: my life is valuable. Too valuable for any political regime to attempt to stake a claim on.
Good for you. A human being who understands what it is to be a member of the Race of Man. Someday, when we travel to the stars and meet whatever intelligent life forms that may greet us, people like you will be looked on as those who ushered in the New Age of Reason that propelled us to the stars to begin with.IrishAdams said:
I don't really like how the question is phrased. Would I fight for my country? Probably... If the threat was great and we'd all be dead anyway if people didn't take up arms.
Would I sacrifice myself in an effort to save the rest? Nope. I'm dead then and any changes made wouldn't interest me. I'd rather just live.
Would I sacrifice myself in an effort to save the rest? Nope. I'm dead then and any changes made wouldn't interest me. I'd rather just live.
I'd fight for my country, but I wouldn't die for it.
Dying doesn't get me anything.
Even if someone was "your country will be destroyed if you do not die", I'd still resist death.
If it was my life against many other lives, then it is more complicated, but my life > my country.
Dying doesn't get me anything.
Even if someone was "your country will be destroyed if you do not die", I'd still resist death.
If it was my life against many other lives, then it is more complicated, but my life > my country.
I imagine your poll would be more of a landslide towards no if it weren't for the biased way you presented the choices. I will not choose no when you have put a stupid quotation in front saying *cranes neck*, like i'm some sort of selfish prick or don't know what i'm talking about.
Come to think of it I'm not even quite sure what you mean by your statement, but apparantly its supposed to be straight forward. What, I am dieing in place of some of the people of my country, or just some aspect of it like the way of life there? Or do you mean it in the general political/military context in which it is usually said, as opposed to just randomly on a internet forum?
To get a better idea i'd like an example. Would you say the man who lit himself on fire in Egypt died for his country?
Fine then, I shall simply argue with all above options.
I totally reject the idea of fighting to protect the lives of people at my home country on the grounds that they are not fighting to protect my life, with perhaps children as a possible exception (but not women, I don't see any reason they can't be asked this same question). However, I can fight for the sake of the soliders who are fighting to protect me.
Politically its kind of obligatory, and in fact gets a lot use from even the worst governments. Stalin told his people to fight for mother russia too, but if i recall correctly the only reason his people didn't surrender without a fight is because their nazi eniemies weren't taking prisnors.
I also find it strange how you said that people who wouldn't die for their country must not like it very much. Seriously, your country isn't the only good country to live in, you gotta have a more logical or sentimental reason to die for it then that. Don't be afraid to say you love your country
Come to think of it I'm not even quite sure what you mean by your statement, but apparantly its supposed to be straight forward. What, I am dieing in place of some of the people of my country, or just some aspect of it like the way of life there? Or do you mean it in the general political/military context in which it is usually said, as opposed to just randomly on a internet forum?
To get a better idea i'd like an example. Would you say the man who lit himself on fire in Egypt died for his country?
Fine then, I shall simply argue with all above options.
I totally reject the idea of fighting to protect the lives of people at my home country on the grounds that they are not fighting to protect my life, with perhaps children as a possible exception (but not women, I don't see any reason they can't be asked this same question). However, I can fight for the sake of the soliders who are fighting to protect me.
Politically its kind of obligatory, and in fact gets a lot use from even the worst governments. Stalin told his people to fight for mother russia too, but if i recall correctly the only reason his people didn't surrender without a fight is because their nazi eniemies weren't taking prisnors.
I also find it strange how you said that people who wouldn't die for their country must not like it very much. Seriously, your country isn't the only good country to live in, you gotta have a more logical or sentimental reason to die for it then that. Don't be afraid to say you love your country
Yes. I want to join the military so that means the whole "die for your country" thing might be my future. It's something I've come to terms with and I can honestly say I'd be honored to die in service. It's a hell of a lot better than getting hit by a bus or something.
This is a massive grey area and a better thought out poll would help.
I would die for Britain, but that depends on what I'm saving.
I would die for Britain, but that depends on what I'm saving.