Although I understand the sentiment, I don’t think this is a slamdunk textbook example of “bikeshedding”. This has many features of being important, non-trivial issue (although I have low certainty). It might not be complicated technically,but there is plenty of social complexity that could have big implications. This purchase is a complex issue that raises questions about both the identity and practical outworkings of the EA community. There could be a lot at stake in terms of community engagement and futre donations. Essays (or at least long posts) could reasonable be written on the pros and cons and issues around this purchase, which like the OP has said include
- How important transparency is or isn’t within the community - How promptly and comprehensively big decisions should be communicated within the EA community - Whether the purchase is actually worth the money (taking into consideration value vs renting facilities, optics, counterfactuals etc.) - How important optics should or shouldn’t be in EA decision making (I’d love to see more serious maths around this)
On a related note, I personally have not found this easy to form a clear opinion on. You are right in that this is easier to analyse on than a lot of AI related stuff, but it’s not easy to form an integrated opinion which considers all the issues and pros and cons. I still haven’t clearly decided what I think after probably too much (maybe you’re a bit right ;) ) consideration.
2. I haven’t noticed the tone to be like “I’ve read a tweet by Émile Torres, I got upset, and I’m writing on EA forum”. That seems unfair on the well written and thought out post, and also very few of the comments I’ve read about this on the original post have been as shallow or emotive as this seems to insinuate. There has been plenty of intelligent, useful discussion and reflection.
Perhaps this discussion could even be part of epistemic growth, as the community learns, reflects and matures around this kind of discussion.
Although I understand the sentiment, I don’t think this is a slamdunk textbook example of “bikeshedding”. This has many features of being important, non-trivial issue (although I have low certainty). It might not be complicated technically, but there is plenty of social complexity that could have big implications. This purchase is a complex issue that raises questions about both the identity and practical outworkings of the EA community. There could be a lot at stake in terms of community engagement and futre donations. Essays (or at least long posts) could reasonable be written on the pros and cons and issues around this purchase, which like the OP has said include
- How important transparency is or isn’t within the community
- How promptly and comprehensively big decisions should be communicated within the EA community
- Whether the purchase is actually worth the money (taking into consideration value vs renting facilities, optics, counterfactuals etc.)
- How important optics should or shouldn’t be in EA decision making (I’d love to see more serious maths around this)
On a related note, I personally have not found this easy to form a clear opinion on. You are right in that this is easier to analyse on than a lot of AI related stuff, but it’s not easy to form an integrated opinion which considers all the issues and pros and cons. I still haven’t clearly decided what I think after probably too much (maybe you’re a bit right ;) ) consideration.
2. I haven’t noticed the tone to be like “I’ve read a tweet by Émile Torres, I got upset, and I’m writing on EA forum”. That seems unfair on the well written and thought out post, and also very few of the comments I’ve read about this on the original post have been as shallow or emotive as this seems to insinuate. There has been plenty of intelligent, useful discussion and reflection.
Perhaps this discussion could even be part of epistemic growth, as the community learns, reflects and matures around this kind of discussion.