Comments on: Conscription Policy (3) Differences http://prisonnotebooks.com/2006/10/30/conscription-policy-3-differences/ Tue, 08 May 2012 23:35:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Jon http://prisonnotebooks.com/2006/10/30/conscription-policy-3-differences/comment-page-1/#comment-401 Jon Tue, 31 Oct 2006 23:58:26 +0000 http://prisonnotebooks.com/?p=81#comment-401 Fascinating. What you discovered goes along with what I know of Taiwan from my experience there and the image I have of Korea. I knew a Taiwanese who was a computer programmer, and was able to use his skills to do the "optional service" conscription. He was able to go to work and have a girlfriend as easily as anyone else working a regular job might. In fact, this led to an embarassing situation where I asked him if he had already "當兵" and he had to remind me that he had already told me he is in the middle of it. Regarding the survery done by 文化大學, I think it would be interesting to compare the results of that to a survey of less-educated non-elites and see how they feel about the conscription service. It wouldn't be surprising at all to find out that educated people are more resistant to the idea of forced conscription. I also find interesting the concept that mandatory military service helps build a love of country. Many of the young Taiwanese I have met have uncertain and ambigious feelings towards Taiwan as a nation, whereas Korea is sometimes infamous for extreme love of country. It seems to me it's not necessarily the case that people are supporting forced conscription for the purpose of increasing patriotic feelings, but rather might be supporting forced conscription as a result of their patriotic feelings. Fascinating. What you discovered goes along with what I know of Taiwan from my experience there and the image I have of Korea. I knew a Taiwanese who was a computer programmer, and was able to use his skills to do the “optional service” conscription. He was able to go to work and have a girlfriend as easily as anyone else working a regular job might. In fact, this led to an embarassing situation where I asked him if he had already “當兵” and he had to remind me that he had already told me he is in the middle of it.

Regarding the survery done by 文化大學, I think it would be interesting to compare the results of that to a survey of less-educated non-elites and see how they feel about the conscription service. It wouldn’t be surprising at all to find out that educated people are more resistant to the idea of forced conscription.

I also find interesting the concept that mandatory military service helps build a love of country. Many of the young Taiwanese I have met have uncertain and ambigious feelings towards Taiwan as a nation, whereas Korea is sometimes infamous for extreme love of country. It seems to me it’s not necessarily the case that people are supporting forced conscription for the purpose of increasing patriotic feelings, but rather might be supporting forced conscription as a result of their patriotic feelings.

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