[NumberCruncher]

A bunch of people here on HN are / were working for the defense industry. A lot of social networks we ought to trust our private data on were founded by them. I never heared them complaining about not getting a job because they used to violate the privacy rights of humanity or developed the software for drones being used for killing people. Don't be afraid, a lot of companies need mercenaries with broken moral compass.

[Edit] I am working for a company doing "legal spamming" -according to German law. It is kind of useless shit the world would be better off without but the work makes fun and pays the bills. Is Uber hiring in Germany?

[mankash666]

"a lot of companies need mercenaries with broken moral compass" - This statement incriminates & implicates anyone working for Uber as a-moral. One can be employed at Uber and disagree with it's policies and culture.

It's like saying living in the U.S implies agreement with the president (Trump or Obama) and his policies. One can still live in the U.S. and disagree with the president.

Suffices to say that working for Uber isn't like working for the Nazi regime - you won't be tried for crimes against humanity like in the Nuremberg trials. If anything, working for Uber puts you in an select group of people who could make it through their difficult recruitment process.

So - DON'T QUIT. Try and work for a better workplace from the inside.

[gurkendoktor]

> It's like saying living in the U.S implies agreement with the president

No: Working for a company is opt-in, living in a country is opt-out. Quitting your job out of protest is a lot easier than emigrating.

Choosing to work for Uber and disagreeing with their culture is more like voting for a president and then disagreeing with them. Why should the OP try to change a rotten company from within when there are plenty of other employers to choose from?

[brianpgordon]

I imagine there are probably plenty of Uber engineers who are stuck with vested stock options that they can't afford to exercise. If they were to leave before an IPO they'd be losing out on tons of money. Golden handcuffs.

[ohashi]

That seems like a terrible argument, morals only matter when money isn't involved?

[mcv]

Reading this I wonder if we programmers might be first against the wall when the revolution comes. Are we enabling unethical companies because the work is fun and the money good? Is that an excuse?

[oxryly1]

Harsh but true. I'd go even further and say to be successful in tech, finance, etc, by all means keep your moral compass in good working order, just leave it at home.

[gurkendoktor]

Good techies can absolutely afford a moral compass. You might lose your chance to be the next Zuck, but that's highly unlikely either way.