“If this seems like drifting from EA philosophy, I want to remind you of the key idea: Doing the best we can with the resources we have. The unspoken caveat is the resources we have within the social, political and legal constraints of the context we live in.” I have always been inclined to sacrifice some “effectiveness” to make EA more palatable (especially given that once people get “on board,” they are likely to become increasingly receptive to ideas that challenge their previous assumptions) and to use more effective tactics within “less effective” cause areas. This is the best-stated argument I’ve heard for this.
“If this seems like drifting from EA philosophy, I want to remind you of the key idea: Doing the best we can with the resources we have. The unspoken caveat is the resources we have within the social, political and legal constraints of the context we live in.” I have always been inclined to sacrifice some “effectiveness” to make EA more palatable (especially given that once people get “on board,” they are likely to become increasingly receptive to ideas that challenge their previous assumptions) and to use more effective tactics within “less effective” cause areas. This is the best-stated argument I’ve heard for this.