You can always work somewhere else. Or start your own company. Or even organize, which is a legally protected ability in the United States.

Don't accept that bullshit. Especially if you're a software engineer and have a million opportunities.

I resigned from a big tech company because I refuse to build any weapons, period. I'll always refuse to build them as long as I live. I can easily get hired somewhere else.

Have some self respect and demand to be treated with dignity. To hell with the bosses' intimidation

To hell with the bosses. Organize with a few friends/coworkers and start a workers cooperative, where every one is paid the same and has a say in decisions.

However, that requires some savings and some political perspective. I understand why someone who just struggles to pay their bills every month "thanks to" their corporate overlord (i.e. "wage slavery" as that is/was called) would not consider it a viable option.

Organize with your fellow workers. Sabotage the company. Make your managers' lives miserable, but do it collectively ;)

Or create your own company. Sabotaging someone else's company and feeling entitled that they should give you money for your activity sounds like... theft?

Sabotage is arguably far worse than theft; would be glad to have this kind of unreasonable-malicious individual filtering themselves out of my company - and ironically they certainly are a supporting point for companies who want to monitor and control to catch stated malicious behaviour/sabotage; they clearly have resentment and won't be as successful themselves as otherwise because they're wanting to waste energy, perhaps energy from anger - but certainly that of resentment - rather than directing it to do better themselves, which doesn't include sabotage or wasting energy; that's a violent and self-harmful act IMO.

Re: theft - they didn't mention theft in their comment (unless they edited it out; why not version control on HN?) but the problem I have with theft is that it allows thieves to gain resources that they didn't develop to earn themselves, that they don't yet deserve - giving them power they don't deserve nor have learned how to wield adequately.

I got an entitlement vibe from their comment which is why I brought up theft.

Indeed yes, sabotage is worse than theft.

All the agonies you suffer You can end with one good whack!! Stiffen up, you ornery duffer And dump the bosses off your back

"You can always fight and become a gladiator champion to win your freedom."

If the alternatives suck (being poor or a social outcast) or are hard (entrepreneurship) or not that different (another soulless corporate job), how much freedom is there really?

Freedom allows you to find a way to survive on your own terms.

You can't accept to work anywhere else, companies need to adhere to the needs of the people working, and have respect. If we start dodging problems by moving companies instead of fighting back, we'll soon have no company where we can work which is respectful.

Out of curiosity, does the refusal of designing weapons include the ones used by the police forces to protect you?

I have no stake in the question, live in France where guns are an exotic thing - just genuinely curious about the limits.

Right. Personally I'd love to build anything, especially weapons. And I'd be good at it. Guess many people should be thankful I don't heh

I'm sorry for you. But maybe your situation will change in the future and you will recover your freedom. Most of us chose to fight when necessary and take the risk to lose the battle

Exactly what makes starting/owning a company in US so great and efficient. Exactly what makes being an employee in US often such a crapfest for most of ones active life

Capitalism?

No but the law does, in the EU