Follow-up is important here. I suspect that main value of writing newspaper articles could actually be if it allows you to connect with others and build up an EA community in the Middle East. (I’m basing this on it being hard to change things by yourself).
Despite the obsession with political news in the MENA, modern political economy is not part of the conversation. I have never seen game theory or any modern political studies discussed in the Jordan Times or AlSharq AlAwsat, between reams on the latest great power infighting. One reason for this is that western academics who focus on the Middle East tend to be less mathy than the rest of the world
I’m actually uncertain whether teaching people game theory is necessarily net-positive as sometimes game theory can push people towards being more aggressive strategies as well.
On follow up: Yeah I have to return to the US to continue my PhD at the end of the Summer. That definitely limits my ability to start a movement.
On game-theory: I am quite optimistic. From what I see, professional political actors like ministers, soldiers and warlords understand the “game” perfectly without my explaining. Regular citizens usually do not understand the games, giving them a disadvantage.
Follow-up is important here. I suspect that main value of writing newspaper articles could actually be if it allows you to connect with others and build up an EA community in the Middle East. (I’m basing this on it being hard to change things by yourself).
I’m actually uncertain whether teaching people game theory is necessarily net-positive as sometimes game theory can push people towards being more aggressive strategies as well.
On follow up: Yeah I have to return to the US to continue my PhD at the end of the Summer. That definitely limits my ability to start a movement.
On game-theory: I am quite optimistic. From what I see, professional political actors like ministers, soldiers and warlords understand the “game” perfectly without my explaining. Regular citizens usually do not understand the games, giving them a disadvantage.