As someone who lives in DC and is part of the EA community here, I wholeheartedly agree with a lot of this!
To add to a couple of points:
Non-EAs living in DC tend to be pretty impact-oriented and ambitious. It’s not uncommon for my non-EA peers in DC to be really excited about the work they’re doing and enjoy talking about their ambitions for impacting the world.
The article “Washington Is Not a Swamp” does a really nice job fleshing this out, describing how (in contrast to the “sharp elbows” stereotypes) most people in DC are very mission-oriented and kind. Similar to the EA community, DC attracts a large number of public-spirited and service-minded individuals, and conversations with (non-EA) friends and colleagues here are often very motivating and inspiring. And though folks in DC often joke about being in a bubble, one refreshing thing about the city is that it attracts people with a wide set of worldviews — in my experience, it’s much more intellectually and professionally diverse than other hubs such as the Bay Area.
You don’t have to work in government. This isn’t exactly a benefit — more of a PSA: it’s not crazy to move to DC, even if you don’t see yourself having a long career in government. It could still make sense to come to DC and work on policy issues from the outside. Jobs in lobbying and think tanks (especially the former) also offer better compensation and better hours than government work does.
I agree, and would go even further to say “you don’t have to work in policy”. There are lots of industries with large and prestigious presences in DC, including tech (especially in the NoVa area), health care (Bethesda and surroundings), journalism, arts and music, etc.
As someone who lives in DC and is part of the EA community here, I wholeheartedly agree with a lot of this!
To add to a couple of points:
The article “Washington Is Not a Swamp” does a really nice job fleshing this out, describing how (in contrast to the “sharp elbows” stereotypes) most people in DC are very mission-oriented and kind. Similar to the EA community, DC attracts a large number of public-spirited and service-minded individuals, and conversations with (non-EA) friends and colleagues here are often very motivating and inspiring. And though folks in DC often joke about being in a bubble, one refreshing thing about the city is that it attracts people with a wide set of worldviews — in my experience, it’s much more intellectually and professionally diverse than other hubs such as the Bay Area.
I agree, and would go even further to say “you don’t have to work in policy”. There are lots of industries with large and prestigious presences in DC, including tech (especially in the NoVa area), health care (Bethesda and surroundings), journalism, arts and music, etc.
+1 for the asknots article!