[Eran]

Actually very large part of Estonian population supports compulsory 8 or 11 month military service. They think that military service is something that makes man a true man. Many employers in Estonia prefer young people who have done military service already instead of people who haven't. People who haven't done military service may feel that people don't respect them as much as they do respect people who have completed military service.

If that is the case, wouldn't you expect a large fraction of eligible young people to volunteer for military service? Wouldn't the perceived value of the service be even greater, if it was done voluntarily, rather than by compulsion?

[KevlarMind]

If that is the case, wouldn't you expect a large fraction of eligible young people to volunteer for military service? Wouldn't the perceived value of the service be even greater, if it was done voluntarily, rather than by compulsion?

Young people just don't know what's right for them. They maybe don't want to go but when they have completed service they will have good memories of it for the rest of their life.

[Eran]

I have spent three years in the Israeli army. While I had some good memories, and certainly learned a lot, I would have given up those three years in exchange for three years of pursuing my career and my priorities.

In general, I am very suspicious of people who claim to know what's good for others better than those others know what's good for them. There is a reason we treat 18 year-olds as adults and no longer as children.

[KevlarMind]

I have spent three years in the Israeli army. While I had some good memories, and certainly learned a lot, I would have given up those three years in exchange for three years of pursuing my career and my priorities.

In general, I am very suspicious of people who claim to know what's good for others better than those others know what's good for them. There is a reason we treat 18 year-olds as adults and no longer as children.

But still young people make many mistakes. I am not old but I can clearly see what people similar to my age are doing. They have so much fun about talking how they got drunk last night. Pathetic