"Obligated" is an interesting word choice. Who are you obligated to? What is the obligation? I looked it up 'cuz I was curious and when we're in a debate that hinges on semantics, it's good to have a crisp definition in mind.

OBLIGATE: To bind or compel, especially legally or morally.

"Legally" is out, obviously. Morally? Well there's the crux of it. I think the "we" is important, too - AlderaanDuran clearly ain't. Me? I've made a half million dollars mixing reality television. There are biological weapons experts with more moral jobs than mine.

"Noble?"

The real question is this: can you live with yourself?

Nobody picks "galen" as a username without a healthy appreciation for higher causes. Who we choose to be says a lot about who we want to be. You wanted to be a journalist because you believe in the truth and because you wanted to illuminate the plight of the downtrodden. I think that's noble. I think that if you derive pleasure and self-worth from altruism, you ought to pursue an altruistic career. I don't know what that is for you - I don't know what that is for me. I'm fond of saying I put a social worker through grad school; my cosmic debt to the Universe is paid. Doesn't release me from being nice to people and giving money to charity and volunteering my time and such. does save me from spending my summers with Oxfam.

It comes down to this: What do you want on your tombstone? And more than that, how much do you care? I don't really want mine to say "he mixed a shitload of reality TV" but I'm also not hung up on the idea of Anubis weighing my heart.

It's your answer, not mine. All the discussion in the world won't change that.