Poll: would you die for your country?

[Zeriah]

If my country (Australia) was being invaded and our army was not enough to defend it and they needed conscripts, then yes.

Otherwise nope, and an especially big nope to dying in another country.

 

[WouldYouKindly]

Depends. I'm not going to die for my country 10000 miles away from it. In general that is less dying for your country and more dying for your country's ideology at best, or the greed of some influential groups at worst.

Even for an invasion threat, I wouldn't be fighting for my country. I may end up with the same ultimate objective as the government, but all that patriotism BS never worked with me. If you tried to give some rousing speech about the founding fathers and the revolution, I'd scoff, say something like, "that's really pretty but you wanna help me blow up this tank?", and get back to business. Largely, it would end up, better the devil you know.

Your country is not the same thing as your government. Your country is more than just a flag and a constitution.

Thanks. I never knew that. Problem is, I neither know nor like most of the people in my country. I'll fight for the people I do know and like and that's just about it. I'm not dying for a country, I'm dying for my sister, my mother, my best friend, not my government, not my constitution, not the people of the country as a whole.

Not to say I'd let millions die so long as I don't know them, though the logic is more if they'll kill all of them, they'll kill people I care about specifically, not just conceptually.

 

[AwkwardTurtle]

Nope. I don't feel this connection with my country, and don't quite understand why geographical location can be a justification for death.

 

[svenjl]

No, I would not die for my country. I would however be prepared to die for a cause that I believed in. In these matters, it's not the dying that is important or significant, but the struggle. Dying is incidental and ultimately irrelevant.

 

[killercyclist]

if the world was at threat (say aliens or what have you) then possible, more likely i'd fight as best i can and try to live, but no, i do not recognize the importance of only caring for the country you reside in. i'll stand for the rights of the world, but not for the notion of "country."

 

[albania614]

"No man ever won a war by dying for his country, but he made the other poor SOB do it instead" ~George Patton (Famous US general in WWII)

 

[TheTim]

I love the U.S.

I would

It falls under my dying for something

and im not afraid of death as long as i die for something important.

 

[metal eslaved]

yes, i been taught since im a kid that the three biggest thing in this world are.

1-God
2-My mother
3-My country flag

i don't care that every single person is a piece of shit in this country, if some country tried to take away my freedom, to walk over my flag, he has to take my life to do it.

Im going to put it this simple"the man how doesn't love his country doesn't love his mother"

 

[Olorune]

Die for America? Hell no.

 

[darron13]

I neither love nor would I die for my country (Trinidad and Tobago). Or any country for that matter.

 

[Zing]

For me yes. If your not willing to die for it, then why live there? You obviously don't love it there very much.

Flawless logic, right here.

lol.

ot: no.

 

[INF1NIT3 D00M]

Would I die for my country? No. I would not die for the land, the government, or a good 80-90% of it's populace.
Would I die for freedom, democracy, justice, etc? Yes. Unfortunately, my country does not reflect these values as much as they would have you believe.

 

[Guitar Gamer]

That's sort of a tough question to answer.
But if it boils down to "Would you every under any circumstances" then yes I would.
I look forward to a world where nationalism is as redundant as weather or not you are a true fullblooded englishmen. Indeed I'd like to see your country as simply a place which is the birhtplace of a particular culture.
In the meantime yes I suppose should it come to it I would. There's worse things to die for than a place which hopefully supports a great deal of your ideals and holds a great deal of your loved ones. Hopefully the fellow(s) on the other end would be kind (unfortunate? stupid?) enough to do it instead of me though.

 

[Divine Miss Bee]

no. there is only one concept, idea, person, thing, etc. that i would die for, and that is the love of my life. my country requires me to be loyal, but not for me to die.

 

[RedMore Trout]

If I actually felt my people or our way of life was in danger, I sure as hell would join would sign up for the military. But, I don't feel that way, and I have a very hard time imagining a realistic scenario where I could lay down my life for my country. (I really don't consider peacekeeping to be "dying for your country.")

 

[Ryengu]

Not for my country, but maybe for the ideals it purports to uphold. That said, i think it needs to do a better job of realizing those ideals.

 

[wilsontheterrible]

I can understand this may seem strange for someone coming from a country with less freedoms, but it's naive to simply assume that any government, even ones with the limits on their powers most first world nations have, are always out for the greater good of their citizens. And since government are the ones who send citizens off to die in wars, we have to remain ever vigilant when it comes to making sure they're sending people to die for the right reasons.

The OP didn't ask if I would die for my government or for those who control it but for my country. This country has given me everything and if there was some threat, some national force intent to do it harm I'd gladly sacrifice myself and call it a bargain for the life of opportunity and dignity that I've enjoyed.

I pity those that don't feel as I feel. When I look at my computer, my degree, my car, and the walls around me I'm possessed with a spirit of unbridled pride because I can point to each of them and say, "That?s mine, I earned that, nobody gave it to me." For allowing me to feel that I would do anything for this nation.

 

[wilsontheterrible]

I'd kill for my country.

For me at least that would be a far harder question. The short answer is yes. I have never raised a hand in anger but once I or another is threatened I will not relent until the threat has passed. I take no pleasure from it, but what we want and what is needed from us rarely meet.

 

[Beautiful End]

No.

Regarding the initial comment about me not loving my country, well, I gotta live somewhere, am I right? Just because I don't want to die for a bunch of strangers doesn't mean I'm evil. It's human nature. I'm pretty sure 75% of the human population would be reluctant too.

Would I die for a good cause? Sure. If me dying resulted in saving some other 500 people, then yeah, bring it on.
Would I die for my friends and family? That too. No need to explain that.

Would I die for some guy's ideals of liberty and willingly become just another ant on the floor, waiting to be squared and dying in the belief that I died a hero when no one even knew of my existence? No.

I'm not saying the only way I'd die for others is if they raised a monument in my honor after I died. But you know, it's my life. If I am willing giving it up, I wanna make a 100% sure it's for a good reason that will truly make a difference rather than just be an expendable soldier. No offense, soldiers out there. My respects.