Certainly all American citizens are to some level accountable for enacting a violent system of oppression on the world, though I am uncertain how it is possible to counter such a thing. One could renounce US citizenship, though most other developed countries aren't much better and going to undeveloped nations is just running away. I can very well see an argument that remaining within the belly of the beast and trying desperately to steer it aside (through voting, awareness raising, etc) may be the most effective course, so long as one also reduces the extent to which they are fueling the beast (by living a less consumerist lifestyle, etc).
I'm not sure how well that same argument would hold for working in the DoD though. But to some extent it may if it involves medical, communications, or AI research. I think part of the reason I have difficulty coming up with a solid answer on whether a DoD job would be participating in oppression too greatly is that I have a very poor idea of the breadth of their current research and practices. The research arm is certainly different from the industrial contract arm and different from the armed forces arms. I know a few folks who have worked with the DoD, though at higher levels than I would likely be working, and they're not really at liberty to say much. Though I could try asking and see what they say.
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chiming
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Date: 2006-12-08 12:58 pm (UTC)From:I'm not sure how well that same argument would hold for working in the DoD though. But to some extent it may if it involves medical, communications, or AI research. I think part of the reason I have difficulty coming up with a solid answer on whether a DoD job would be participating in oppression too greatly is that I have a very poor idea of the breadth of their current research and practices. The research arm is certainly different from the industrial contract arm and different from the armed forces arms. I know a few folks who have worked with the DoD, though at higher levels than I would likely be working, and they're not really at liberty to say much. Though I could try asking and see what they say.