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by sp332 5122 days ago
Service means that you're serving other people. You can certainly be forced into that.
1 comments

Typically service, when used in this context, implies that you do something for somebody else at no or little benefit to yourself.

The only way this can be forced on anyone is if the government does it -- which is pretty much the reason why I am in favour of as small a government as possible.

> Typically service, when used in this context, implies that you do something for somebody else at no or little benefit to yourself

And in another context it just means "serving". So it's silly to call it an oxymoron when it's quite easy to be an involuntary servant. In fact, involuntary servitude has a long and proud history, it's called "slavery".

Or you could get paid for your service. That's not "volunteer" work but I don't think it counts as involuntary :)