truckandbus,
The problem with using Star Wars as an analog of real world engineering, is that all the movies in the series I have seen are pure melodrama. The good guys are pure goodness, and the bad guys are pure evil. If Darth Vader and the Emperor approach you to build something, you know it is intended for something nasty. As an engineer, your job will be to implement someone's evil plans. You would be better off becoming a bandit or smuggler. Maybe you will score a hot princess!
In the real world, you feel some sort of patriotism and trust in your leaders. Any sabotage you do will hurt the people on your side. Government reveal military secrets on a need to know basis. You won't be told the final evil purpose.
Let's take the closest historical case of pure evil. You are in Germany in 1944. Your cities are getting the crap bombed out of them. You are asked to design a super-duper new fighter interceptor. Do you sit down with your family and point out that we all deserve to have the crap bombed out of us? Do you even know you deserve to have the crap bombed out of you? If you build a weapon that shoots down the attacking bombers, can you make it so that babies and cute puppies are safe from it?
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JHG