RE: Ethics and Job-Hunting

["Dick Margulis " <margulis -at- mail -dot- fiam -dot- net>]

Kim (and others),

Let's look at this question from a different perspective. [Note: This is more a response to the thread about teaching people to be resourceful than it is a response to the ethical question. It also touches on clarity of thought and clarity of expression, both relevant to tech writing, I believe.]

Maszlo's Hierarchy of Needs tells us that food, clothing, and shelter, in approximately that order, are more important to each of us than moral niceties. Fine. I fully expect you, me, and everyone else to do whatever is necessary to avoid starvation for ourselves and our families.

However, the universe of possibilities for gainful employment extends far to the left and right of the narrow career path. I, for example, choose not to work on weapons. My choice, not necessarily your choice. Faced with a situation in which the only tech writing positions available are in weapons programs, I can choose to:

+ Move to another city or another country 
  (works better for some people than for others)

+ Accept a job I'm ethically opposed to accepting 
  (works better for some people than for others)

+ Seek another kind of employment, either temporarily or permanently

For me, the last choice works well, because I have varied interests, skills, and experience. But I would recommend it also to people who have limited interest, skills, and experience--precisely because it's a great way to acquire all of those.

The point I'm trying to get at is that when you are asked an either-or question, or when you feel you are stuck between a rock and a hard place, a good strategy is to look for a side exit. Instead of trying to outrun the big rolling boulder like Indiana Jones, just step into an alcove until it goes past you ;-) 

My two cents.

Dick

"McCarter, Kim" 

>Okay,  I can keep my peace no longer.  While I certainly understand being
>uncomfortable or at a moral unrest with certain subject matters, I really don't
>think there's much I would NOT write about if doing so put food in front of my
>children and a roof over their heads (while I looked for a better job).
>


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