Why I want to write propaganda
Let's get this out of the way first. I've always been a solidly grey guy when it comes to morality. Not that I'd act immoral, but there are situations where I weigh the circumstances lighter than most.
That said, I'd love to be a propaganda writer for some terrible dictatorship.
That is objectively immoral. Right? Yet I find myself convinced that the "Someone else is going to do it anyway" argument is valid here. I would certainly still fully reject the notion of spreading propaganda to a pre-dictatorship, but if the people you're reaching out to are already convinced of the story it doesn't matter much who's writing it.
The plus side for me is becoming a historian on the subject of that dictatorship, being able to preserve some of it's true story to be shared if the nation collapses. The propagandist needs to know what's going on in order to know how to spin it to look good. It is a position through which great deals of information pass through.
I wouldn't act as a double agent either. Ultimately if I get caught I get replaced by someone standard. I aim to maintain that position as long as possible to gain as clear a picture of the state as I can.
Ultimately history is doomed to repeat itself, but it's through our knowledge of history that allows us to slow that process. That's absolutely an excuse though. My justification because I ultimately think writing outlandish things and learning fascinating stories is an engaging occupation.
The "someone else is going to do it anyway" argument is only "valid" because there are people who use it. The moment people stop using it, there will be no one left to do such things. Those "others" who will do it in anyway are imaginary people that we invent to justify an action that, ultimately, we are not interested in justifying because we will do it anyway, why? because we are not interested in good and evil at all.
I would agree in most cases that's true, but that's assuming everyone thinks it's evil. In this scenario, where there's a well established dictatorship, there are likely plenty of people brainwashed well enough to think they're doing a good work for their country by taking such a position even when it means constantly lying.
Not that I wouldn't still be a piece of crap for taking such a position, but there are situations where even when people stop making the "someone's going to do it" excuse there will be others that have their own reason to do it anyway.