Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Percentage of Europeans Who Are Willing to Fight a War for Their Country

brilliantmaps.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

151–160 of 265 posts

Re: Percentage of Europeans Who Are Willing to Fight a War for Their Country

#151

Post by thedevil »

apexalpha wrote: post #137

Is the question asked "Fight for your country" as in defend it from foreign invaders, like my country (NL) was during World War 2, or like Ukraine is now by Russia? Or is this "Fight for your country" as in join team America in invading Afghanistan and Iraq and ? Because the first one: probably, yes. The second? No thank you.

I'm an American and I used to say that I'm antiwar but what I really meant is that I'm anti-iraq-war, anti-Afghanistan-war, etc.

I do think there are wars we should fight. We just haven't had any of those in my lifetime.

Re: Percentage of Europeans Who Are Willing to Fight a War for Their Country

#152

Post by TeMPOraL »

charlesdm wrote: post #138
pjc50 wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> South Africa? South America? Australia? While as a Belgian you'd be able to enter there and stay for a short while, you'd still have to comply with their residence visa process or hope that their refugee provision is generous.

I guess the logical country to go to would be one which allows access through investment, hence another reason to have a rainy day fund. Money, while unfair, essentially buys residency in many countries. This sounds extremely selfish, just writing this.

Hard to blame you for selfishness, when the topic is literally how to save the lives of you and your family, should shit hit the fan.

I did some introspection on that topic myself, and I realized that while my desire to help people in need is strong, my own desire to stay alive is strong as well.

Re: Percentage of Europeans Who Are Willing to Fight a War for Their Country

#153

Post by dsfyu404ed »

This is a dumb info-graphic. It basically all depends on the war in question.

Another round of playing world police? Not my thing.

California seceding from the union? I'll help you pack.

Canada annexing Vermont? Depends on how Vermont feels about it.

Actual foreign invasion? Where's the nearest recruiter.

Re: Percentage of Europeans Who Are Willing to Fight a War for Their Country

#154

Post by wavefunction »

youngtaff wrote: post #143

Poor choice of colours in that map… Red generally == bad, and in this map lower percentage == red, there for a lower percentage willing to fight is bad?

I don't know that "fight for your country" is "bad" or "good".

Defending your country against outside aggression seems "good." Fighting in a war of convenience is "bad".

I think an interesting qualifier is if the person answering assumed "fighting for your country" meant defense or offense.

Re: Percentage of Europeans Who Are Willing to Fight a War for Their Country

#155

Post by ForRealsies »

youngtaff wrote: post #143

Poor choice of colours in that map… Red generally == bad, and in this map lower percentage == red, there for a lower percentage willing to fight is bad?

Germany's self-identity has been an exercise in self-shame for 70 years now. Their culture would do well to take some pride in itself, otherwise they'll submissively embrace Sharia.

Re: Percentage of Europeans Who Are Willing to Fight a War for Their Country

#156

Post by alkonaut »

arethuza wrote: post #141
alkonaut wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The military as a refuge for those who would otherwise have a hard time finding work/education/healthcare etc is probably a US phenomenon - and the US military probably would be less attractive if more progressive politics meant better conditions for all. In countries with pro armies outside the US I believe it's more like any other job such as a policeman. In countries with conscription it's not even a job, it's mor…

"it's more like any other job such as a policeman" I don't know what its like now but in the 80s/90s the people I knew who were in the UK forces were either from very posh backgrounds if they were officers (particularly Guards regiments in the army) or from pretty humble backgrounds for other ranks.

Yeah I didn't mean in terms of class but in terms of other status (grades, criminal background) we don't have the "it was either jail or the army" type people as you often hear (perhaps more historically and of course from fiction) about the US.

Re: Percentage of Europeans Who Are Willing to Fight a War for Their Country

#157

Post by inops »

The article doesn't say how this was apportioned between men and women in each country, and if it was the same across the countries. I would imagine you would see higher percentages all round if you asked just men. Men do the actual "fighting" in most every case.

Re: Percentage of Europeans Who Are Willing to Fight a War for Their Country

#158

Post by arethuza »

aqsalose wrote: post #146
bambax wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Germany is closer to Russia than France, and yet less "willing" to go to war. Japan with 11% is really amazing, and yet it's near real threats with China and North Korea. It would seem, countries who remember what war is actually like, would rather not fight; that would explain the results of Japan, Germany, France, Spain, the UK. The only exception is Russia, who suffered immensely during WW2 and yet would apparentl…

Finland participated in the WW2, moreover, also on the side that lost the war.

But at the start both France and the UK actually considered sending troops to assist Finland against the Soviets - this was when the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact was in place so the Soviets were effectively Nazi allies at that point.

Re: Percentage of Europeans Who Are Willing to Fight a War for Their Country

#159

Post by batushka »

apexalpha wrote: post #137

Is the question asked "Fight for your country" as in defend it from foreign invaders, like my country (NL) was during World War 2, or like Ukraine is now by Russia? Or is this "Fight for your country" as in join team America in invading Afghanistan and Iraq and ? Because the first one: probably, yes. The second? No thank you.

>Or is this "Fight for your country" as in join team America in invading Afghanistan and Iraq and ?

>Because the first one: probably, yes. The second? No thank you.

Typical NATO free rider. Do you have the word ALLY in your culture?

Post reply on HN