Seeing as I am finishing up my final year of college (which it turns out has largely been pointless) I am beginning to search for gainful employment in earnest. At the fall career fair, I gave my resume to the NSA, as they are the single largest employer of mathematicians in the world (and I am a math major). Well fast forward to yesterday, when I receive an email from them requesting a transcript. This is the first instance of response I have had since October.
My problem is that although I am opposed to the invasions of personal privacy, I am also up to my eyeballs in debt (since friends, family, and the powers that be convinced me that going to an expensive private college would pay handsome dividends), and I understand that the NSA pays well (and yes, I realize this would make me a net tax consumer). Now assuming they were to offer me a job (which is totally uncertain), I know that I will face tremendous pressure from my family, who will view it as a very good, impressive, and secure job.
My crisis is that in this broken world we live in, almost everyone is out for theirs. I fancy myself somewhat principled, since I discovered Mises.org last summer and have soaked in the knowledge of freedom. But principles don't put bread on the table, and the pragmatist in me knows that.
Anyhow, I suppose I'm just looking for some kind of moral support, and to throw it out there in the (semi-anonymous) open.
"I believe that it is better to tell the truth than a lie. I believe it is better to be free than to be a slave. And I believe it is better to know than to be ignorant." ~HLM
I'd be more worried about the NSA not being able to make payroll in a year or two than whether or not it's moral to work for them.
Otherwise, consider yourself a sleeper agent.
The fallacies of intellectual communism, a compilation - On the nature of power
I say go for it. If you don't believe in the state, than you haven't compromised your current belief set. You are simply a mathstitute.
Jeff: Seeing as I am finishing up my final year of college (which it turns out has largely been pointless) I am beginning to search for gainful employment in earnest. At the fall career fair, I gave my resume to the NSA, as they are the single largest employer of mathematicians in the world (and I am a math major). Well fast forward to yesterday, when I receive an email from them requesting a transcript. This is the first instance of response I have had since October. My problem is that although I am opposed to the invasions of personal privacy, I am also up to my eyeballs in debt (since friends, family, and the powers that be convinced me that going to an expensive private college would pay handsome dividends), and I understand that the NSA pays well (and yes, I realize this would make me a net tax consumer). Now assuming they were to offer me a job (which is totally uncertain), I know that I will face tremendous pressure from my family, who will view it as a very good, impressive, and secure job. My crisis is that in this broken world we live in, almost everyone is out for theirs. I fancy myself somewhat principled, since I discovered Mises.org last summer and have soaked in the knowledge of freedom. But principles don't put bread on the table, and the pragmatist in me knows that. Anyhow, I suppose I'm just looking for some kind of moral support, and to throw it out there in the (semi-anonymous) open.
I say do it. The mindless masses are the ones that advocate the government anyway. Hell, they cry for it anytime someone someone suggests any sort of alternative. Let them have it. Just don't fall in to the pit of statism while you are at it.
I'm pretty sure they'll require you to go through a polygraph test. They'll ask you questions, it will all be on record forever. Everything can be used against you now or at some point in the future.
Do you want to go on record with your anti-state ideology? Then at some point in the future, some high-tech software that you may actually help to develop may put you on some suspicion list.
I don't mean to scare you, just something to think about.
Jeff:Now assuming they were to offer me a job (which is totally uncertain)
Have a massive ponder. Who would need your skill set? Could help in various ways for business. At least apply and try to find a job in the private sector.
You should really try to find something else. I don't see any way that working for them could be good or neutral.