Maybe what I do really ain’t so bad.

My last entry, posted so many eons ago, was written for the purpose of justifying to myself what I do now. My conscience made me write it really—that blubbery little wuss! As I had just been reeled into the debate by agreeing to work in the industry, I was trying to discern whose side I was really on. Was I a tool benefitting the evil mega-corporations? Was I making it easier for the insurance corporations, HMOs, and pharmaceutical companies to enslave us all into monetary submission? Was I in some small, cog-like way making it harder for the impoverished to receive health care? Was I in effect, indirectly killing people, in fact? Or was I doing something noble? Was I promoting the saving of lives?

It’s an important question to ask, I think. Some people will go their whole lives and never even bother to attempt to justify what they do. A paycheck is a paycheck is a paycheck to them is the refrain. But as I have this overactive hyper-sensitive wussy conscience, it was necessary to go through this dilemma, and I think I’ve finally found something that will quiet that silly, annoying little voice. Here’s a breakdown of how the conversation went:

“Certainly,” I told it, “we can at least agree on one thing: that I could be doing something far, far worse. It’s not like I’m making tobacco or junk food or heroin. I’m not polluting the atmosphere with choking smoke. I’m not making little remote control death machines or evil robots, or sharks with frickin’ laser beams, or any of that crap. I mean, really, Erin Brockovich doesn’t have shit on me!"

The reply from that snotty little crybaby was, “Maybe so, but “don’t get all smug and sermonize to people that you’re doing the right thing. You didn’t take this job because you thought it would give you the chance to become some kind of martyr. You did it for the money and the security it provided, and that’s it!”

“And judging by the latest quarterly earnings report you just read, don’t try and fool yourself that you’re working for some charity organization!

“So what?” I replied to that obnoxious little turd. “Just because something is profitable doesn’t mean that somehow it’s inherently evil. Can’t a company make money AND help people at the same time? I mean really, what the hell is so wrong with that?”

And before that little punk could open its mouth again, I showed it this:

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