Thanks for this Bridges, and I’m sorry you had a negative experience with giving. It’s definitely a positive that EA has broader programming now and I agree that there is a real danger of alienating people who come from less affluent backgrounds. I’m really delighted that you’ve found a way back to EA now :-)
A couple of points: I’m not sure I agree that giving isn’t a team sport—Giving What We Can and One for the World both see a lot of engagement in our communities, from meet ups to webinars to socials.
I think our point is that it’s a shame to neglect giving entirely. As you say, it can often be part of the menu of EA without significant costs to other aspects; and while you were really inspired by longtermism and careers advice, thousands of people have presumably been inspired by Giving What We Can and One for the World when they’ve taken our pledges.
There seems to be good counter-evidence that talking to students about giving isn’t a good idea at all—it’s been done successfully in so many places for so long within EA and in so many other social movements. Tactics like future-dated donations, pledges that don’t start immediately or focussing on trivial amounts while you’re still studying can all help. But doing this sensitively is really important and that’s part of why we’re trying to offer training and resources!
Anyway, in summary, I’m really pleased you’re back in EA; and I hope we can mitigate these risks well going forward.
Thanks for this Bridges, and I’m sorry you had a negative experience with giving. It’s definitely a positive that EA has broader programming now and I agree that there is a real danger of alienating people who come from less affluent backgrounds. I’m really delighted that you’ve found a way back to EA now :-)
A couple of points: I’m not sure I agree that giving isn’t a team sport—Giving What We Can and One for the World both see a lot of engagement in our communities, from meet ups to webinars to socials.
I think our point is that it’s a shame to neglect giving entirely. As you say, it can often be part of the menu of EA without significant costs to other aspects; and while you were really inspired by longtermism and careers advice, thousands of people have presumably been inspired by Giving What We Can and One for the World when they’ve taken our pledges.
There seems to be good counter-evidence that talking to students about giving isn’t a good idea at all—it’s been done successfully in so many places for so long within EA and in so many other social movements. Tactics like future-dated donations, pledges that don’t start immediately or focussing on trivial amounts while you’re still studying can all help. But doing this sensitively is really important and that’s part of why we’re trying to offer training and resources!
Anyway, in summary, I’m really pleased you’re back in EA; and I hope we can mitigate these risks well going forward.