here's an intriguing question

[easuter]

Politics, religion and pseudo-science.

EDIT: though I must add, a well educated politician with forsight and an incorruptible moral fiber and who's intention is to serve only the public is probably one that can arguably have the biggest beneficial impact than any other profession.
Unfortunately, they dont exist.

[Vanger]

You know, you really have to be someone to play a significant role. Even for a weapon manufacturer, your field of work will be very narrow. Most possibly you won't ever see the weapon itself.

For example, older lecturers at my caphedra made research on optimal guidance for ICBMs, that were (and still are ) targeted on you.

So just do your best in what is most interesting to you, not that most "important for society". But if you want to sacrifice best years of your life, serving abstract idea - hey, the life is yours, do what you want .

[Triarius Fidelis]

You know, you really have to be someone to play a significant role. Even for a weapon manufacturer, your field of work will be very narrow. Most possibly you won't ever see the weapon itself.

Well, operations researchers, for instance, are people who handle a lot. Every job in such a sprawling field is really narrow but the machine breaks down when even the tiniest cog is missing. That's why people tried to block trucks carrying napalm-B in my country some years ago. (They failed.) Even the semi-skilled truck driver was an essential part of the delivery process.

Of course, if I am ambitious and prove myself, I will be able to have a more general influence. I'm always surprised at what I am capable of doing with deep-seated hatred to press me on.

For example, older lecturers at my caphedra made research on optimal guidance for ICBMs, that were (and still are ) targeted on you.

AWESOME

So just do your best in what is most interesting to you, not that most "important for society". But if you want to sacrifice best years of your life, serving abstract idea - hey, the life is yours, do what you want .

They're going to be wasted for me anyway, so I might as well dig in my heels and react with extreme and uncompromising malevolence. If my life gets ruined, someone else is paying for it; I don't care who.

[Vanger]

Of course, if I am ambitious and prove myself, I will be able to have a more general influence. I'm always surprised at what I am capable of doing with deep-seated hatred to press me on.

If you can't manage a team, you'll never go up from an operationist. Very few tasks in applied fields can be done singlehandedly.

AWESOME

Yep. So if you work in some applied field, like guidance, or robotics, or laser physics and perform good, you'll get some applied tasks.
For example my father's lab after multiple budget cuts still didn't sank only because of various medicine and even theatrical perfomance tasks with lasers. Because of that when they recently got cut on two persons, they managed to have only one person leaving. Noone needs science in land of orange democracy, though, only scientists themselves.

They're going to be wasted for me anyway

Sorry, I kinda got tired of telling "it's your own life, do what you want".
So, yes, you're right, you're gonna waste these years anyway if you want it so.
Is Comic Book Guy a right role model for you or you prefer a generic trekkie?

[Triarius Fidelis]

Of course, if I am ambitious and prove myself, I will be able to have a more general influence. I'm always surprised at what I am capable of doing with deep-seated hatred to press me on.

If you can't manage a team, you'll never go up from an operationist. Very few tasks in applied fields can be done singlehandedly.

True, but I can be really engaging and humorous when it serves some purpose for me. That's pretty good when deceit is so hard for me.

AWESOME

Yep. So if you work in some applied field, like guidance, or robotics, or laser physics and perform good, you'll get some applied tasks.
For example my father's lab after multiple budget cuts still didn't sank only because of various medicine and even theatrical perfomance tasks with lasers. Because of that when they recently got cut on two persons, they managed to have only one person leaving. Noone needs science in land of orange democracy, though, only scientists themselves.

What is 'orange democracy'?

They're going to be wasted for me anyway

Sorry, I kinda got tired of telling "it's your own life, do what you want".
So, yes, you're right, you're gonna waste these years anyway if you want it so.
Is Comic Book Guy a right role model for you or you prefer a generic trekkie?

No, they're going to get wasted whether I want it or not.

Incidentally, I don't really like comic books or Star Trek. I haven't even read anything fictional recently.