Without giving too many details in order to avoid doxxing myself more than I already have on the grad, I'm an engineering student and have recently gotten an opportunity to get involved in advanced laboratory research projects. This will, in theory, look amazing for grad school, and that graduate degree will, in theory, allow me to move to China fairly quickly and put my talents to use building socialism overseas. Problem is, as somewhat of a flex of their laboratory connections, the department chair informed me that sometimes, the lab does work for Washington DC.

Now, we're not building missiles or anything, but naturally, I had my apprehensions when this was mentioned. I continued with the interview as though I hadn't heard it and the opportunity very quickly became a very real offer to work in some high level dream tech. Real sci-fi shit. However, of course, I still have my concerns. I honestly don't know what the Marxist position is to take on this. Obviously if they ask me to do something horrific, I'm going to decline, but I don't really know what it could entail.

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[–] 16 points 3 days ago

I honestly don’t know what the Marxist position is to take on this.

The devil is very much in the details, which you shouldn’t give us. All I can say is that a Marxist position wouldn’t be framed in (overly-)moralistic terms.

Obviously if they ask me to do something horrific, I’m going to decline, but I don’t really know what it could entail.

Probably you’ll know if they’re asking you to do work that’s beyond the pale. Possibly you won’t know, but if I were in your shoes, I wouldn’t lose much sleep over it.

I would be thinking more about what work could disqualify you from moving to China, and offhand I can’t think of any.

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