[hackerspaces] Sigh -- I'm not helping with Maker Faires this year.

[Walter van Holst]

On 2012-04-03 11:44, Mitch Altman wrote:
> My main reason for making my decision public is to encourage public
> discussion on this important topic. I'm glad it's working. We really
> need to consciously make choices on what we do for money. In my mind,
> it is not about the money. My hope is that we do what we do because 
> we
> are exploring and doing what we love (whatever that means to you!).

While your personal decision is precisely that: your personal decision 
and should be respected, I think most of this discussion has already 
taken place. Several times over the past century. As food for thought I 
recommend reading the following essay by George Orwell on this subject:

http://www.orwell.ru/library/articles/pacifism/english/e_patw

I think Orwell's insights as acquired during the horrible Spanish Civil 
War do apply equally today.

That does not mean that Eisenhower was not right on the 
military-industrial complex. Just that pacifism is not the answer 
because it can only exist by virtue of the existence of a strong 
military. In that sense both an undue military-industrial complex and 
pacifism are parasitic concepts to a society which is healthy in a 
cultural, economical and political way. They are both extremes that can 
only arise because of the existence of such a society and both have the 
potential to facilitate the downfall of such a society.

Regards,

  Walter