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Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Quoting: Arehandoro[...], put us in a situation that we've not seen since World War II.
Well, we've not seen this exact situation before WWII either. And none of this equals "closer than ever to world war", no matter how dire it all seems.
Arehandoro Nov 1, 2023
Quoting: Purple Library GuyWell, Israel has universal conscription--everyone serves (well, except the ultra-orthodox).
Universal conscription is another of the reasons in which the state uses its brainwashing and propaganda. In any case, universal conscription could also be circumvented by being a conscientious objector (not sure if this is the actual term in English). There are ways to avoid serving.
Actually, I would even argue countries that still have it, that are many, should not be considered democracies.
Quoting: Purple Library GuyThe United States, on the other hand, gave up on conscription after the prospective conscriptees got really upset and caused political problems back in the Vietnam era, and are now finding they don't have enough volunteers to really fill the numbers they want. So it seems most there are, indeed, deciding not to join the army at all.
Which is something the US is already trying to "fix"
Quoting: tuubiWell, we've not seen this exact situation before WWII either. And none of this equals "closer than ever to world war", no matter how dire it all seems.
That's a fair point.
EDIT: Formatting
Last edited by Arehandoro on 1 November 2023 at 4:44 pm UTC
Quoting: ArehandoroActually, I would even argue countries that still have it, that are many, should not be considered democracies.
Well that's a take I guess. I'm pretty sure I live in a democracy, even if it isn't perfect.
ElectricPrism Nov 2, 2023
Quoting: ArehandoroIn any case, universal conscription could also be circumvented by being a conscientious objector (not sure if this is the actual term in English).
Yes, "conscientious objector" is correct English terminology in the united states.
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Other relevant terms are "indentured servitude" and "induction".
Indentured servitude in many constitutions is illegal, AFAIK the state can not legally compel you to do labor, especially in which case you might loose your life.
Indentured servitude TL;DR; is slavery to the state.
"Induction" is when a person is drafted, or inducted in the military, typically unwillingly to be a active participant. English usage would look like "I was inducted into the military when I was 17"
The only reason I bring any of this up, is because it will help the new generation navigate these issues a little better having this info ahead of time.
inlinuxdude Nov 2, 2023
Quoting: WMan22It's like blaming the pawn for a king and queen's poor decisions. It's not really the pawn's fault that they're limited to moving and defeating other chess pieces in the most inefficient ways possible, and the game doesn't end out of empathy and respect for the loss of a pawn, only when the king is gone. That's just the way the game is designed by forces above the pawn's control.
As a chess player, I'd like to point out a few things about this... The pawns can actually be fairly powerful when banded together in a pawn chain. This can ultimately lead to a promotion of a pawn to royalty (many times leading to the downfall of the existing royalty). They can even occasionally take down a piece on their own with some minor support (i.e. during a pawn fork of a piece). The position of the pawns on the playing field also normally determines the entire shape of the conflict - and those best positioned will frequently lead to victory for their side (especially in higher levels of competition).
(also, the game is over when the king is trapped, not gone... Maybe this is a metaphor for not needing bloodshed during societal upheaval?)
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