Internet addiction gets Finnish conscripts out of army

[WickedSmurf]

A guy who served at the same time as I did got to go home because he was too afraid. I'm not kidding, he was scared of everything. Weaponry, vehicles, officers... Can't figure out how the hell he got there in the first place, but he didn't last very long. At the shooting range, when the first shots went off, he used to throw up out of fear, and the look in his eyes while riding in an armoured vehicle was just priceless.

Conscription has its pros and cons, as everything else. For me, it was a good thing, for others, its bad.

 

[Shargon]

1. Finland isn't in scandinavia
2. Females can join the army any day they want
3. There is a civil service for those that don't want to go army
4. It's very enlightened to keep amount of troops required to defend a long border against a (past) superpower, yet only way to do it with a small population is draft.
5. And we won't let go of infantry mines. No. don't even think about it.

Last time I took look Finland was still in scandinavia

i feel sorry for those net freaks but damn........ why I didnt come up with that idea to avoid service. I thought only choises are, pretend gay or nut case.

 

[crystal]

It's amusing to see the socialists defending outdated conscription in Europe. It certainly doesn't fit into the normal image of the left as a pacifist and progressive movement, defending only this contradiction by slandering the US and pointing to some irrelevant historical connection... Is it because you want to maintain some pathetic illusion about our European socialist utopian conditions or is it just because you have to fight those who advocate freedom on every battlefield that shows up?

"Irrelevant historical connection"? It was a conscription army which stopped the Soviet attacks at Karelia, even when they were attacking with insanely superior number of troops, artillery and airplanes. Yeah I'm sure we would have done much better without conscription!

 

[The Last Conformist]

Last time I took look Finland was still in scandinavia

Never been. Scandinavia proper is Sweden and Norway. The Danes, Icelanders and Faeroese are often let in on account of speaking Scandinavian languages.

 

[insurgent]

"Irrelevant historical connection"? It was a conscription army which stopped the Soviet attacks at Karelia, even when they were attacking with insanely superior number of troops, artillery and airplanes. Yeah I'm sure we would have done much better without conscription!

No, the irrelevant historical connection was TLC's. But do you honestly think that you face any territorial threats against which a conscripted army can help? And how do you defend forcing significant parts of Finnish youth to join an autocratic institution like the army?

BTW, TLC, Denmark is part of Scandinavia! It's always been Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, because we speak Scandinavian languages, are Scandinavians and all that. Remember the Kalmar Union and the Scandinavist movement of the 19th Century? I resent the notion that Denmark is Central European!

 

[The Last Conformist]

I assume the "historical connection" was the reference to Enlightenment? I might point out that your ideology, too, is founded on Enlightenment ideals ...

(I should perhaps mention that I personally do not favour a conscripted army, at least for Sweden. It did make sense when the Swedish army was designed for repulsing a Russian/Soviet invasion, but those days are gone, and for the tasks it is now supposed to fill, I believe a professional army would be better.)

As said, Denmark is linguistically Scandinavian, but not geographically inside Scandinavia. At least till we get 'round to finally booting out Scania.

 

[crystal]

No, the irrelevant historical connection was TLC's. But do you honestly think that you face any territorial threats against which a conscripted army can help? And how do you defend forcing significant parts of Finnish youth to join an autocratic institution like the army?

No, I don't think there are any real territorial threats (e.g. Russia) right now, but if new threats arise in the future, we can't just suddenly build up effective conscription army -- it takes time.

Conscription doesn't force you to join the army since you can always choose civil service instead. And as you can see from this thread, you can get relieved from service with weak excuses, like for example Internet addiction. I don't think conscription army is as awful and immoral as you try to make it seem to be. Anyway, I would like to see somewhere in the future an European Union Army, so Scandinavia can get rid of this conscription nuisance.

 

[insurgent]

I assume the "historical connection" was the reference to Enlightenment? I might point out that your ideology, too, is founded on Enlightenment ideals ...

You can call me anything you want, just not ignorant, I beg you. I know when the theories of my political creed were devised. But the fact that conscription originates from then has no bearing on its utility today.

As said, Denmark is linguistically Scandinavian, but not geographically inside Scandinavia. At least till we get 'round to finally booting out Scania.

Look in any dictionary! (please let me have this... please!)

...

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

Yeah, after your commanding officer is 'done' kicking the living dooty out of you, youre 'done' with the Army

I was quoting Principal Skinner on the Simpsons

 

[insurgent]

Conscription doesn't force you to join the army since you can always choose civil service instead. And as you can see from this thread, you can get relieved from service with weak excuses, like for example Internet addiction. I don't think conscription army is as awful and immoral as you try to make it seem to be.

Oh, but those who refuse fighting are sent to some other government institution to work by force. Government just shouldn't have that power to control people. And those who claim an internet addiction are called in later, are they not?