I have many friends in that area, some for even ethically "worse" (if thats even possible) companies, not even a consideration. Or if it is, "its still better than X", or "thats not really my department" or, well "i'm not the one launching them", or "it's a better paycheck and retirement than most and I try not to think" about it and so on. There are some that feel good about it, as if they are the "good guys". It's a weird spot. I lived outside of DC for a couple years, almost everyone you run into is employed by the federal government or contracted, or military (or ex military).
Discussion
Yeah unfortunately this all makes sense.
I met a girl who worked for Monsanto once and her response was ,"All companies are evil."
To her credit she struggled to find a job for a long time. In a way she was right.
I've concluded that any individual or company touching fiat is compromised to some degree.
The most successful and government connected seem to be at the highest end of the corruption spectrum.
The closer to the money printer, the greater the depravity. Wall Street.
My university was build around research, most of its research relied on federal grants. In my experience, research and whimsical development (that is work engineers have more freedom to think and build) requires excess cash, and that cash has only come from where the US federal govt has put money in (or indicated funding shift toward). And most of the smaller contractors are just chasing a check (a really big check) and hire/fire engineers to give them exactly that, whatever he can bid on the federal gov will fund.
I see. Thanks for the insight.