Compulsory National Service To Counter the Millennial Idleness and Futility

All countries should reinstate Compulsory National Service. Doing so will help to solve multiple-level problems that afflict our society, mainly due to socialist-leaning policies that ruined the natural order of things. France announced that 16-year old individuals will be doing their National Service; Portugal is thinking about doing the same and Israel is still struggling over the draft of the Haredi community into its Military ranks.

The Problem: Idleness and Futility

Today’s youth are futile and inflated with a sense of entitlement, regardless of their social class – which is a remarkable legacy of socialism. They believe their parents have the obligation to support them till the day they decide they’re ready to find a job – nowadays young people (the so-called Millennials, or Generation Y) want to do what they like; that is, they don’t see themselves working at anything other than their dream-job; nay, they believe in sitting around at home (or at Starbucks) playing with their smartphones or Tablets on social media all day till the opportunity of their dreams presents itself.

The level of futility is so high among our youth that their notion of having a cause is to receive money from NGOs and Foundations to wreak havoc at G7/20 Meetings and fight anything that goes against their warped view of the world. Devoid of values and principles, the Millennials are nothing but political harlots – they work for the highest bidder, regardless of the consequences of their actions. They are the poster-boys of Intellectual Impotence and the puppets of the Obsolescent Left.

The youth lack a cause. They haven’t been taught about serving their country, about patriotism, Family Values, responsibility, about the liberating effects of having a job - of doing their part in society. 

They actually make me proud of belonging to the Generation X – a generation known for being happy, active, entrepreneur and with a sense of purpose. In Portugal, they used to call us the Generation Junk…go figure. But better being part of the Generation Junk than being of the Generation Slump (Millennials), even though socialist Baby-boomers and (some) Xers were the ones bringing up the Slumpers.

Now, Ys and other Xers are giving birth to the Generation Z (born after 1998 into the 2000s): are we going to make the same mistakes? The first Zs are now 20 years old. Is society going to allow them just sit around and do nothing?

The Solution: Military and Civilian Services

Israel, thank G-d, has had the policy of conscription since the establishment of the State of Israel; meaning that the Israeli youth don’t have time to act “stupid”. It also means they are more mature, more balanced, more knowledgeable, more engaged in the designs of their country. They have a purpose – regardless of their political leanings. They are happier, more creative and more entrepreneurial too. You don’t see Israeli youth breaking windows and burning cars for the sake of it; you don’t see them sitting around playing with their smartphones, becoming apathetic; nay, they play with other kids, they hang out with their friends and neighbours, they have normal relationships.

President Macron – who by the way, earned my respect when he put a 18-year old kid in his place and gave him a lesson of civility – decided that 16-year old French kids are to do their National Service. This is good, because if parents are too blinded by their ideology (and egocentrism) to raise their kids properly, then the State needs to intervene and teach them about Law and Order.

PM António Costa and Defence Minister José Azeredo Lopes also had the idea to bring back National Conscription (NB: Portugal used to have a Compulsory National Service until 1996-97, but then PM António Guterres [the now General Secretary of the UN] nixed the policy, sending the Portuguese Youth down the Abyss of Idleness and Moral Bankruptcy). I really hope they have the time to do it – as it will be one of this government’s best policies – but perhaps they will only succeed in their next term, if they manage to get a majority in Parliament as the Leftist Bloc (Far Left, composed by Millennials) will never be on board with such decision.

Military Service

The Military experience can be positive on young people’s lives. Many do not like it but it's undeniable the positive effects the Military had in their lives:

• Patriotism
• Sense of duty
• Unity
• Fraternity
• Hierarchy
• Respect for their superior officers (i.e. respect for authority)
• Quick decision-making skills
• Law and order
• Pain and frustration (important growth tools)
• Swallowing of pride leaving their egocentrism behind for the good of the Unit
• Seeing the Big Picture.

The Military Service will give the new generations these vital tools to face life. And when they finish their National Service, they are apt to do whatever they set their mind into. They are prepared. They are ready, willing and able. Semper Fi.

The Millennials, generally speaking, are not Semper Fi, they don’t even know the meaning of it. They are not ready, willing and able to do what we have to do to protect our countries and uphold our traditions, our culture and national identity. Having said this, President Emmanuel Macron and PM Costa are spot on: they have the opportunity to revert the very grave problem other political leaders created. Past politicians probably had good intentions when they decided to take pity on our Youth and spare them from the “cruel and fascist” military service, but they proved that the Old Saying is very much true:

The Road to Hell is paved with Good Intentions

Let’s give our young people the tools to protect themselves (in case of security threats like Terrorism), let’s give them situational awareness and the power of resilience. There is no greater Cause then to defend our Country and uphold our National Security, while acquiring discipline in the process - we owe this much to the new generations.

Civilian National Service

If after the compulsory 3 week recruitment process (to acquire basic discipline), an individual decides he is not cut out for the military life (or if, G-d forbid, his health is an obstacle), then he should be given the option to do voluntary civilian work near the Geriatric Community (talk with and/or read to the Elderly), Children and the Sick (offer their assistance in Hospitals).

There is life beyond social media and technology

Western societies, in particular, have a demographic problem: people are not making babies. There are several reasons for this (e.g. egoism, vanity, hedonism etc) but studies have taught us a few pros and cons of technology and social media:

Pros: less teenage pregnancies, less STIs in teenagers.
Cons: less physical interaction with other humans (everything is done behind a screen), less intimacy, poor quality relationships (as social media, in adults, promotes flings and sexual encounters without commitment of any sort), lack of eloquence (social media promotes the murder of any language), promotion of sociopathy, megalomania, compulsive lying and illusion (warped sense of reality).

We are not saying youngsters are to stop using Technology all together (as that would not make sense) but we support cutting back the amount of hours spent on it, and on social media, in order to invest them on something more meaningful and fulfilling.

The Israeli Case: Drafting the Haredi Community

DS defends the conscription of the Haredi Community in Israel – provided the IDF respects their religious needs. We do so because we find it imperative that every Jew serves in the Jewish State. It is true that Hashem separated one Tribe to serve Him and constantly learn His Laws in order to teach the Jewish People; but it is also true that the Torah shows us that even Moshe and Joshua (High Priests) fought in Wars to cast out the Nations from the Land Hashem Promised Avraham, Yitzkhak and Yaacov.

I ask the Haredim: is the Plan complete? No, it is not. So, now we need all hands on deck. Besides, we need the Torah Students to Bless the War of all Wars because Hashem is about to Deliver the Promised Land into our Hands. If the Haredim are not in the IDF to do it, who will do it: the Seculars, the atheists?

So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. - Exodus 17: 10-11

We need the Haredim.

Conclusion

It is important to give the youth a sense of duty, for them not to lose themselves in futile behaviour – that will eventually throw them into all sorts of problems like delinquency, drug and alcohol abuse, depression, suicidal thoughts etc. It is important to make everybody understand that we all have to carry our portion of the national burden. No exemptions. Therefore, they will have to do their National Service – either military or civilian.

There is one issue that was not mentioned above, but that will be quickly addressed now: should this national service be compensated? Yes. But of course, the ones serving in the Military are to be paid more because of the risks involved and because of the higher amount of time and physical effort invested. How much should they be paid? €1,500 (for the Military service) and €1,200 (for Civil service) with no tax exemption (all are to pay a 10% tax) – do you see the compounded benefits of such policy? Intelligent minds do (more revenue for the State’s coffers; more consumption; more births in the long run; more social stability; more law and order etc).

The Youth need to learn they are entitled to contribute to society in a positive way - and not Facebooking/Twittering/Snapchatting/Whatsapping their life away…

(Image: IDF soldiers [Ed] - Google Images)

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