Edvard

@Leo Gura It doesn't seem like you've read all I've said on this topic, which is understandable, and I'm happy that you answer regardless. By the way, ISIS was really just an example. Maybe it works for some countries to disbandon military, I mean Costa Rica doesn't neighbour to Russia, like Norway does.. Not the main point though. By the way, I have observed birds, and they can get pretty upset when an intruder tries to eat its kids. Some, like the falcon may use their weapons of claws, for protection. I'm not even a fan of the USA military by any means, but I view the military in Norway as a place to grow, challenge myself and getting farther from comfort-zone than anywhere else. As I said earlier, I'm not a nationalist (nor a conservative if some thought that), although I think participating in the Norwegian military will be a contribution to the protection of freedom and being civilized, which I value. And Norway is very different from USA on many things, including the military, although member of NATO. I'm not considering the military for "noble" reasons, but primarily as a way to grow and to give me advantages for life purpose, because the education will give me free living and wages + three years of guranteed work, which would be great if I wanted to start a business later. Is there absolutely no way I can be happy by doing this, you say? I understand that military is low-consiousness in itself, though. But there are unfortunately megalomaniac people out there, who would take over the world, and suppress and kill people who don't agree with them, don't see how that could be a wrong notion. Let's say I am happy even if getting tortured or suppressed, I could imagine that, and I do believe you. But what do you mean when talking about contribution to the world? If it doesn't matter how people on earth is treated generally whatsoever, what kind of life purpose and contribution would make any sense? Why try to change the world to the better, if firstly there is no such thing as a good or bad world, and secondly people can be happy no matter what?

Can add that this military school will give me no living cost + wages during the three years of education, so although that's not the most important thing, it helps making it an attractive alternative. After education I am also guaranteed (and mandatory) work in the Defence for three years, protecting, developing and running computer- and communication systems. This would give me an advantage later in life, if I want to start a business.

@Clint Eastwood Yeah, I am only considering it for a place to grow, by, like you for instance mentioned, getting further away from comfort-zone than anywhere else, both mentally and physically. It's not really because I think the system is nice, and I'm not a nationalist, although I'm for freedom and being civilized, and look at it in a way of protecting those values. Additionaly I'm interested in technology, and it's a unique school of developing theoretical and practical skills along with great challenges, which should make me grow a lot. If I don't go for this military telematics bachelor (+leadership) I will take a bachelor in physics at a civilian school instead. Really unsure about it.

@Visitor That made some sense. If I didn't have an ego, I wouldn't care if I existed or if ISIS existed. They would still kill me though, but that's fine. Is that sort of what you're saying?

@Leo Gura So why live? Why go to the shop when feeling hungry instead of starving, acting on negative motivations? Why bother concentrating on avoiding traffic accidents? Why not let others torture you without resistance? Why shouldn't I do any of these things when enlightened, then? Why pursue life purpose when nothing is good or bad? I guess I don't understand a damn thing, but I really want to.. as a 21 year old Norwegian.

@Damir Elezi That helped. But yeah, I know ISIS thinks they are doing good, that's why I said there is no such thing as good or evil. But they base their views on something we know isn't true. I know you can say, how do you know, it's obviously possible for them to be deluded, so how do you know you aren't deluded? Anything we do can be a delusion, but we just have to use our logic and do what we think is best compatible with reality. But yes, I do understand that consciousness is the only thing we can be 100% certain exists, and I don't really consider military from a nationalistic point of view, I just think that western military is necessary, and prevents the world from becoming a worse place (so in fact contributing to make it better). Is it low consiousness to make the world better? If so, why do anything, why isn't pursuing your life purpose in anything viewed as low consciousness, when firstly there is no definition of a good or bad world (so why contribute?), and you can be happy no matter what? I can see where it's coming from, but the notions in this self actualized environment just seem a little contradictary to me, sometimes.

I've seen it

You're probably right about that, but because the western world happened to develop this technology first and then spread it to other countries has nothing to do with the question of whether we should have military. Also, every country have their resources to build weopons and brains to develop technology. But I see you agree that we should have military now, thank you. That's really what I wondered. So the western world is waiting for other countries to put down their military first. It probably won't happen in the nearest future... Wonder what @Leo Gura actually means, though..

Yes, we can survive without violence because people in the military protect us, protect our freedom to be pacifists. I'm not going to speculate in how the islamic world got technology or weapons. People can devolop things without our influence as well, like North Korea, they have a brain. The fact that the US military has done mistakes and aren't perfect doesn't explain nothing about whether the western world should have a military or not. Whatever way we fucked up in the past, maybe the cause of ISIS i.e., doesn't explain away the notion that we need the military now. Again, I ask you: Are you for western countries to put down their intire military tomorrow, and what consequences would that have?

What do you mean without reason? Everyone has their reason for killing somebody. So if the army kills ISIS, it destroys intelligence? Don't you think islamic fundamentalist groups willing to spread islam all over the world would exist if western military didn't exist? Do you think ISIS will let go of those plans if we just put down our military? These people are willing to blow themselves up because they believe in martyrdom, because they are religious fundamentalists. Can you answer this: would you vote for or against completely getting rid of your country's military tomorrow, and if yes, what consequenses do you think that will have? Won't any ideology take over your country, and suppress and torture anyone who doesn't obey the rulers? What is your answer to this quote by Sam Harris: "It should be enough to note that a single sociopath, armed with nothing more than a knife, could exterminate a city full of pacifists. There is no doubt that such sociopaths exist, and they are generally better armed"? Then you say that the military exists because humanity is not enough intelligent? That's why we NEED the military. If everyone was intelligent enough, I suppose, we wouldn't need it.. But the fact that sociopaths willing to kill pacifists exist, makes it pretty clear to me that nothing would work without military, at least if you value your life. If you don't value your life, then I get it.

Need to add another note here: Someone like ISIS would rule the world if we had no military. In which case I would be tortured to death. Is that neither good nor bad? If I say: "we shouldn't have military", don't I then accept this to happen? Again, why would I be more unhappy preventing this, than being tortured to death?