3 ms·

The main thing I liked about war was getting to work with powerful tools and get immediate feedback on your actions. The US does a pretty good job of insulatin

by rdl 12y ago

The main thing I liked about war was getting to work with powerful tools and get immediate feedback on your actions. The US does a pretty good job of insulating the military from this in peacetime -- bureaucracy, extremely restrictive rules of engagement, etc. -- but as a contractor in a war zone, as well as for soldiers involved in actual combat operations (5% of those deployed?) it was pretty amazing. It's pretty much the same high as working at a startup vs. a big company.

throwaway65434 12y ago
The problem with the military is that it has unlimited downside. You're literally giving up your freedom. I don't really think western armies experience the realities of war either, at least not to the extent of their opponents. I think pretty much anything you can do in the military you can do better in civilian life, you just have to be a bit creative. You rarely hear about it though, because no one is trying to recruit people for it. Here's kind of one example though: http://www.theamphour.com/220-an-interview-with-shaun-meehan-doctiloquent-dove-deployer/ http://www.theamphour.com/220-an-interview-with-shaun-meehan...
- rdl 12y ago
  Bootstrapping a defense business with ~zero background in defense was tbh one of the most amazing possible things to do in 2003-2005. I probably should have bailed in 2005 or so and go back to startups, but I was still convinced the 2001 recession was there.
  - throwaway65434 12y ago
    I do find the idea that showing up counts for a lot, quite romantic (in a good way). Even in the more dubious cases like Viktor Bout [0]. But for the most case it's not an area where I'd personally want to "show up" in. I'd much rather we semi-privatized disaster relief than war. [0] That documentary with all the home footage is pretty cool, so is "bulletproof salesman".

3 ms·

The main thing I liked about war was getting to work with powerful tools and get immediate feedback on your actions. The US does a pretty good job of insulatin

by rdl 12y ago

throwaway65434 12y ago
The problem with the military is that it has unlimited downside. You're literally giving up your freedom. I don't really think western armies experience the realities of war either, at least not to the extent of their opponents. I think pretty much anything you can do in the military you can do better in civilian life, you just have to be a bit creative. You rarely hear about it though, because no one is trying to recruit people for it. Here's kind of one example though: http://www.theamphour.com/220-an-interview-with-shaun-meehan-doctiloquent-dove-deployer/ http://www.theamphour.com/220-an-interview-with-shaun-meehan...
- rdl 12y ago
  Bootstrapping a defense business with ~zero background in defense was tbh one of the most amazing possible things to do in 2003-2005. I probably should have bailed in 2005 or so and go back to startups, but I was still convinced the 2001 recession was there.
  - throwaway65434 12y ago
    I do find the idea that showing up counts for a lot, quite romantic (in a good way). Even in the more dubious cases like Viktor Bout [0]. But for the most case it's not an area where I'd personally want to "show up" in. I'd much rather we semi-privatized disaster relief than war. [0] That documentary with all the home footage is pretty cool, so is "bulletproof salesman".