To be perfectly clear, I am not sympathetic to war; war is the most terrible thing humanity can do. Avoiding it should be one of our primary goals as a species. Which begs the question: what can motivate people to contribute to that? War hasn't become any less horrible, so why are people more open to being a part of the industry now?
The short answer is, of course, money. But to look a bit deeper, we have to understand the mentality that's driving the change:
> “National security includes the toughest and the most exciting problems that the country has to offer. And Facebook is basically fentanyl for your head. Why would I want students to go there?”
> [unnamed student] described national security work as “mission-driven,” unlike the “empty pursuit” of consumer software.
As much as I support anti-war sentiment for its own sake, that sentiment has been the prominent thinking for the better part of the last decade, yet it has evidently failed to stop the shift in mentality we see happening now.
These students do not believe in consumer tech. They do not believe we are collectively working towards a better future, a sentiment I share. That is what needs to change to stop this move towards national 'defense'. There will always be enough people who choose practicality over principles for evil things to happen if evil feeds mouths where principles do not. Principled action must be focused toward making principles and practicality the same.