Curious how this would relate to the Reddit community .

For me it's double.
I wouldn't go to the front in let's say Poland or any other country because some politician wants that.

But I think if some country would take over Belgium, I think i would join the resistance to save my family and myself.

That or I would shit my pants.

by Zealousideal-Cut5275

37 comments

  1. The question is also if there is actually a realistic threat? And if so, from where? Luxembourg?

  2. I would not be able to carry a gun. I don’t see for shit. Glasses do not fix the lack of 3D vision or colorblindness. Therefore I think the answer is technically “no”.

    Though I’d probably be ok running as a front medic. Yes, I understand this also implies just retrieving dead bodies too.

  5. Lol no, I would run with my wife and children as far as we could. Ain’t no way I’m dying in some ditch for the gain of a handful of politicians.

  6. Why would I fight for a country that doesn’t give a shit about me and keeps fucking me in the ass.

    Get solar panels! Well give you money for the power you create.
    Sike! Get fucked dumbass.

  7. Depends if they allow me, in the energy sector as a tech and a firefighter so probably i will be not drafted.

  9. When all jobs are gone, when all your friends and family are being killed, when your life savings are gone because the euro is worthless, when the food supply runs out and when the enemy wants to claim or destroy the home you worked for the past 30 years, you will fight. Even the biggest pacifists and the most anti-Belgium individuals would be in the trenches at that point. That’s how war really works.

    But of course in peacetime the amount of people answering “yes” will be low. Because you have everything to lose. But when an actual large scale war happens, you will have little to lose at that point. You quality of life would be 5% of what it is now. And you would beg for a weapon.

    Edit: Ukraine is an interesting case study on this. The threat is big enough for a lot of people to mobilize but the quality of life (incl. economy, education, safety, food) away from the front, while worsened, is still high enough for many people not to mobilize voluntarily. Which makes it more difficult for Ukraine to recruit people.

  10. I’m with you one the: if they were invading Belgium, yes, though I make no illusions about being fit enough to actually fight. I like to make illusions about being one of the people that shelters targeted groups though but I hope I never have to test that.

    While I support Europe backing up Ukraine with troops (and anything else) I wouldn’t go to the front line myself for combat. A support role maybe.

    If say our neighbours (including the UK with that) were being invaded somehow I’d consider a combat role if Belgium was sending help. Defending their borders is defending our borders.

  12. Drafts would be a last hope measure. No army wants civilians in their ranks anymore, they would do more damage than good. Mainly to themselves. Me included. 

    Most ‘not probable case at all no chance it will happen irl like any other war before’, we enter war because ‘someone’ attacked Poland. Civilians would enter the war economy to fuel the machine.

    That said. We are invaded, there’s a draft. Okay. We’ll have 3 weeks of training. Based on my airsoft games history I would laaaaast… About 3 minutes.

    In anycase, would I fight for my country either economically or violently? If I have a choice? Nope. I’m getting out.

  13. No. I wouldn’t fight for a parody of a government that don’t care about its citizens anymore

  14. Wars are old politicians playing games with young lifes, with the sole purpose of flattering their ego. But not with my life, no.

  17. I would bring my kids into safety.
    Then I would fight.
    Not for Belgium, but for my house and family.

  18. As I always said, I would defend my home, but would not go out and destroy other peoples homes.

  19. I wouldn’t go to war for Belgium.

    But if we were invaded, you can be sure I would try to do something usefull to protect my friends / family / neighboors who can’t fight back.

    I have some skills which can be handy and I have no child of mine to protect so I think I’ll be in to try to save your asses.

  20. I’d fight for my values, like equality, freedom of speech and thought, healthcare and education, and should we win, all that sweet sweet victory sex

  21. I will fight. If every politician send one of his kids, for every 500 people we send. And to the frontline, not behind the lines. Starting with, Theo.

  23. I reluctantly pay taxes for my country. Let’s keep it at that.

  24. Where for other countries this would be a simple yes/no question, here there would be 7 possible answers listing all combinations of Flanders Wallonia and Brussels.

  27. Probably not for Belgium, but definitively for a European Union (when they finally have an army)

  28. Don’t understand all the people reacting they wouldn’t fight for our politicians. I don’t see how our politicians are relevant as Belgium would never start and war. Only when our politicians declare war, one would fight “for them” but in any realistic scenario Belgium would get caught up in a war that an external agressor started. So “would you fight for Belgium?” doesn’t mean “would you fight for our government” but “would you fight for our land and our way of life?”

    My answer is simple: hell yeah.

  30. Wars are the ruling class sending the sons of the working class to a meat grinder so they can acquire more power for themselves. “Country” is not a thing. “Way of life” is something you decide for yourself and will never be under threat. Don’t fight the wars of the bourgeoisie. They don’t care about you.

  31. Hell no. Death is final. I can start a new life in a lot of different places. I have literally zero attachment to the land. As soon as it starts to look like war may be coming, I’m packing my bags and leaving. Ideally to a different EU country like Spain if it chooses to remain neutral. If not, then Latin America. I’ve been thinking about moving to Monterrey anyways. I like the Latino way of life better. If that fails there’s Asia. I’ll join the Russians and Ukrainians in Thailand.

    And if I can’t escape, well then prison it is. I’d rather spend years behind bars than die, get severely injured, or come home with lifelong PTSD like most soldiers. For what? A medal? Fuck medals and honors. You only have one chance at life. I‘m not gonna wreck it for some political bullshit. No Matter how bad life gets in another country, at least I won‘t be lying dead in a trench.

  32. Nope, preferably I’ll leave this stupid country before a war breaks out but if I don’t, I’ll just leave when a war breaks out. I do not care about Belgium. I have nothing good here.

  34. I’m not fighting or dying bc of some politician fool on this planet. I have one life and so does my family and I’m not letting some old fart at the eve of his life deciding how I should dispose of it. Fuck them.
    I would def leave everything I have here and just go somewhere else, maybe just on the other side of the planet to be at peace.
    It’s a shame to start afresh somewhere else after losing everything but it’s just things. My life’s not worth dying for that.

  36. Is this a poll including men and women? Are there gender differences?

  37. Semantics or philosophy aside, I have a sneaking suspicion those numbers would go up if ever Europe/Belgium is attacked. There’s a reason why Finland and Ukraine have higher numbers. They very much feel threatened by Russia. One of them is currently being invaded by Russia and the other one thinks it’s a prudent idea to guard the border with Russia. Even some of the Eastern European countries with 40+% also currently feel threatened by Russia.

    I get that it’s fun to larp that Belgium is bad, but we still live in the lap of luxury on a global level. We have plenty of freedoms, most of us can still realistically buy a house in our lives and we have access to all necessities and a heck of a lot of luxuries. Plenty of us will defend that when the time comes.

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