If you were working for the CIA as a “wet asset” would death move you much?

I sometimes wonder if I’d be shaken by a close relative’s death in any case: I am somewhat troubled by how generally unperturbed I can be. I tell myself that I wouldn’t handle a death very well, but I dunno. Grandma died around New Year’s, and it didn’t really register. Granted, she had a full run and I haven’t seen her or (since dementia makes for uncomfortable conversations) really spoken with her in years.

Presumably, they would have some separation and still have some feeling for their family.

I think you would still have a seperation of personal life and business.
You wouldn’t stop caring about people just because your job is to remove bad guys (and I am sure most wet assets think in those terms).

I had to develop a technique of setting my personal feelings about death asside when the need arose. So death, any death, affects me only insofar as I allow it to at the time. I take it out and deal with it later if I need to.

That’s a hypothetical twice removed. Well played.

You’re asking, in effect, “if” you were a paid assassin (first hypothetical) then in that case would you be relatively unmoved by the deaths of relatives (second hypo).

Since I’m already moved by the deaths and remembered deaths of loved ones (and even pets) from long ago, I guess I can’t really be an effective assassin. And that’s not such great news, because with advancing age and dwindling career opportunities, I don’t need to be crossing more possible jobs off the list.

Well obviously, it’d matter more to me if my child died rather than if a random person died.

You said “wet asset”. Hah.

I really have nothing more to contribute.