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Is it really possible for someone to find motivation to risk their lives to fight for a paycheck? It would definitely motivate a few but can it motivate a large

Is it really possible for someone to find motivation to risk their lives to fight for a paycheck? It would definitely motivate a few but can it motivate a large enough population making private armies feasible?

kijin 12y ago
Most rational people will choose life over a paycheck if it's only their own life, and their own paycheck, on the balance. Rational people, however, may choose to die for a paycheck if said paycheck would help feed their children, parents, friends, and/or significant other. Assuming, of course, that the employer has a reputation for honoring their contract even after you're dead. Needless to say, people who live in societies with a robust social safety net will be less motivated to fight for a paycheck. In most parts of Africa, on the other hand...
JabavuAdams 12y ago
Absolutely. If I were younger and didn't have a family, I'd be tempted to do this. I sometimes feel like I missed my era. Not so good at going in to the office, but might have been a decent warlord. Then I wake up and realize I'd probably just be hung from a tree in any era except this one.
JabavuAdams 12y ago
Why do people free-climb? Why do they climb Everest or K2? Why do they ride motorcycles and base-jump? Modern, peaceful life is boring for certain personality types.
cpwright 12y ago
People are motivated to be commercial fisherman, roughnecks, lumberjacks, and roofers. They are also risking their lives for a paycheck.
- lclarkmichalek 12y ago
  There was an article in the Guardian recently that expands on just how dangerous jobs at sea are in general: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/10/shipping-disasters-we-never-hear-about http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/10/shipping-disast...
- XorNot 12y ago
  There's a pretty big perceptual and practical difference between environmental hazards and sentient, active, adversaries.
cellis 12y ago
Is it really possible for someone to find motivation to risk their lives to fight for a paycheck? See: pretty much all of history. Generals routinely promised wealth from invasion of neighboring places. In fact, rare is the case where the promise for fighting in a large scale war was not one of wealth, but of some derivative resource ( freedom, religious reasons, pride ). That is a relatively recent construct (maybe last 200 years).
tsotha 12y ago
Mercenaries don't fight pitched battles. Mercenaries will go home or even switch sides if it looks like they may take nontrivial losses, which is why nobody likes to rely on them.

kijin 12y ago

Most rational people will choose life over a paycheck if it's only their own life, and their own paycheck, on the balance. Rational people, however, may choose to die for a paycheck if said paycheck would help feed their children, parents, friends, and/or significant other. Assuming, of course, that the employer has a reputation for honoring their contract even after you're dead. Needless to say, people who live in societies with a robust social safety net will be less motivated to fight for a paycheck. In most parts of Africa, on the other hand...

JabavuAdams 12y ago

Absolutely. If I were younger and didn't have a family, I'd be tempted to do this. I sometimes feel like I missed my era. Not so good at going in to the office, but might have been a decent warlord. Then I wake up and realize I'd probably just be hung from a tree in any era except this one.

JabavuAdams 12y ago

Why do people free-climb? Why do they climb Everest or K2? Why do they ride motorcycles and base-jump? Modern, peaceful life is boring for certain personality types.

cpwright 12y ago

People are motivated to be commercial fisherman, roughnecks, lumberjacks, and roofers. They are also risking their lives for a paycheck.

lclarkmichalek 12y ago
There was an article in the Guardian recently that expands on just how dangerous jobs at sea are in general: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/10/shipping-disasters-we-never-hear-about http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/10/shipping-disast...
XorNot 12y ago
There's a pretty big perceptual and practical difference between environmental hazards and sentient, active, adversaries.

cellis 12y ago

Is it really possible for someone to find motivation to risk their lives to fight for a paycheck? See: pretty much all of history. Generals routinely promised wealth from invasion of neighboring places. In fact, rare is the case where the promise for fighting in a large scale war was not one of wealth, but of some derivative resource ( freedom, religious reasons, pride ). That is a relatively recent construct (maybe last 200 years).

tsotha 12y ago

Mercenaries don't fight pitched battles. Mercenaries will go home or even switch sides if it looks like they may take nontrivial losses, which is why nobody likes to rely on them.