I feel dirty.

[deadmessengers]

When I'm not on DU (and sometimes, when I am), I work as a product manager for a computer company - one you've probably heard of. On most days, I like my job. Scratch that: on most days, I love my job. However, today, I just felt dirty. Part of my duties at work is to give technical presentations on the product line I manage to potential customers - typically, the I.T. managers of mid- to large-sized organizations and companies. Most days, that's not a problem - I like talking in front of a group, and during the Q&A sessions that take place during my presentations, I usually end up learning almost as much from my customers as they do from me. I'm know that I'm lucky to like what I do as much as I do, and I appreciate it because I didn't always have jobs I liked.

But today was different. I didn't like my job at all today, not one bit. Today, I had to present to the most truly evil company on the face of the earth: Halliburton.

I found out yesterday that some representatives from Halliburton's I.T. group would be in town and were interested in hearing a presentation on my product. There really wasn't any getting out of it - if the salespeople need me to go in and talk tech, it's my job to do it. I had to go in there, do the same presentation I always do, and pretend like it was the last thing that would ever cross my mind that if they bought my product, some of my work would go toward furthering the goals of those evil bastards, even in a very tiny way.

I can't go into what product I manage because it would reveal just a little too much about who I am and where I work, but on the whole, the product I make (it's computer software, for what it's worth) is a good thing for society as a whole, really. But today, I just couldn't help but feel that I was contributing to a really big ugly problem.

I think I'm going to go and get drunk now.

[lligrd]

1. You Should Have Done That Last Night And Called In Sick

today!

[babylonsister]

2. At least you realize the evils of Halliburton; that's a good thing.

:beer:

[live love laugh]

3. I can imagine how you feel. I'm looking for a job and saw one

that required educating the public on vaccinations. It paid well, but knowing what I know, I think I'll take a pass.

[deadmessengers]

4. I'd take that job

I mean, all in all, vaccinations have been a positive. I believe the risks are understated, but they're still dramatically outweighted by the benefits.

[WiseButAngrySara]

5. Halliburton is how I discovered DU! (Or it was the reason for

my first exposure to DU) I had googled Cheney and Halliburton and came across all sorts of interesting and informative articles on DU about just how evil Halliburton was.

I know how you must feel. These are times that test our souls. But keeping a job that you love, and must be good at trumps all for now IMO.