I got a BS (laughably, there is nothing further from science) in Global Security & Intelligence Analysis in 2009, and had decided before graduating that I didn't want to go federal for lack of control over the consequences of my actions. I didn't turn down any concrete opportunities; in fact, I could never get myself to turn in an application. Maybe I was rationalizing fear of failure with that pit in my stomach, but it felt a whole lot more like 'you really shouldn't do this' then 'you're not gonna make it'.
This was also where I found a love for hacker news and internet tech; I thought (and continue to think) that tech leaders are doing more to make the world a better place than any gov't intelligence apparatus. I say this while fully admitting that state intelligence is important, and necessary.
I ended up taking a non-tech low level sales job right out of college, and worked/learned my way into the tech world. I'm in oil & gas data now (I'm sure some think O&G is just as evil; I'm not one of them), and never been happier learning & building.
This is not to say that vanilla, non-tech analysis is comparable to crypto, or that I'm some sort of good-will-hunting character. I really like his justification though:
"I figure fuck it, while I'm at it why not just shoot my buddy, take his job, give it to his sworn enemy, hike up gas prices, bomb a village, club a baby seal, hit the hash pipe and join the National Guard? I could be elected President."
Anywho, good find, thanks for posting and the transcript.
I got a BS (laughably, there is nothing further from science) in Global Security & Intelligence Analysis in 2009, and had decided before graduating that I didn't want to go federal for lack of control over the consequences of my actions. I didn't turn down any concrete opportunities; in fact, I could never get myself to turn in an application. Maybe I was rationalizing fear of failure with that pit in my stomach, but it felt a whole lot more like 'you really shouldn't do this' then 'you're not gonna make it'.
This was also where I found a love for hacker news and internet tech; I thought (and continue to think) that tech leaders are doing more to make the world a better place than any gov't intelligence apparatus. I say this while fully admitting that state intelligence is important, and necessary.
I ended up taking a non-tech low level sales job right out of college, and worked/learned my way into the tech world. I'm in oil & gas data now (I'm sure some think O&G is just as evil; I'm not one of them), and never been happier learning & building.
This is not to say that vanilla, non-tech analysis is comparable to crypto, or that I'm some sort of good-will-hunting character. I really like his justification though: "I figure fuck it, while I'm at it why not just shoot my buddy, take his job, give it to his sworn enemy, hike up gas prices, bomb a village, club a baby seal, hit the hash pipe and join the National Guard? I could be elected President."
Anywho, good find, thanks for posting and the transcript.