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Cake day: February 5th, 2025

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  • If we’re assigning blame so broadly, let’s be thorough about it. What about the factory workers assembling weapons? They recognize a gun when they help manufacture it. They understand what tank treads are used for when they connect them. Engineers fully comprehend the lethal applications of their drone designs and technical specifications.

    If we’re truly committed to distributing responsibility appropriately, shouldn’t everyone in these production chains bear their share of moral accountability? Or is our outrage selectively applied to those with the least decision-making power in these systems?

    Perhaps we should question why our society finds it easier to condemn those with fewer choices rather than examining the entire structure that creates these weapons of war in the first place.



  • Casting sweeping judgments about an entire group you’ve never personally engaged with demonstrates remarkable presumption. There’s a specific term for making such broad generalizations without firsthand knowledge, isn’t there?

    I’m curious—what profession grants you the authority to condemn others for circumstances largely outside their control? What position of moral superiority do you occupy that allows you to evaluate the character and choices of people whose lives and constraints you’ve never experienced?

    Perhaps before passing judgment so confidently, it would be worth considering the complex realities and limited options many face within larger systems not of their making.


  • When we discuss responsibility, we should consider it comprehensively. Scientists and engineers who developed chemical weapons and nuclear bombs made conscious choices about their work, yet they rarely face the same scrutiny as soldiers who carry out orders. Is this because educational privilege somehow absolves responsibility? Why do we focus our criticism on those with fewer options rather than those who designed the systems?

    The hypocrisy evident in some IT professionals’ comments deserves acknowledgment. Many work for profit-driven corporations that extract wealth, exploit resources, or develop technologies with questionable impacts. Before casting judgment on others, perhaps we should examine our own contributions to systems we criticize.

    Every professional should consider their role in larger structures of power. The soldier following orders and the programmer writing code for a corporation that avoids taxes or exploits workers both operate within systems larger than themselves. The difference often lies in who society chooses to blame, not in who bears actual responsibility.

    Rather than directing our frustration toward individuals with limited choices, perhaps we should focus on the institutions and power structures that create these ethical dilemmas in the first place.


  • While I understand the frustration toward those critiquing military personnel, I believe we should consider the broader context of responsibility in our society. Emergency responders who assist during natural disasters deserve our appreciation, even as we examine complex institutional issues.

    If we’re discussing responsibility, those in technology fields must also reflect on their contributions. Many STEM professionals work for profit-driven companies developing technologies with significant societal impacts—from military applications to automation that displaces workers.

    Throughout history, scientific advancement has brought both progress and devastation. The development of nuclear weapons, chemical agents, and military technology has often proceeded without adequate ethical consideration. When we examine figures like Oppenheimer or Einstein, we must acknowledge both their brilliance and the consequences of their work.

    The irony isn’t lost on me that many who quickly assign blame may themselves contribute to systems that concentrate power and wealth. Rather than dividing ourselves through targeted blame, perhaps we should recognize our collective responsibility for the current state of our nation.

    I believe that fostering division only benefits those who already hold power. Perhaps approaching these issues with understanding rather than hate might offer a more productive path forward—even if that perspective seems idealistic in today’s polarized climate.