Maybe I’m naive, but I think “care more about “asteroids and killer robots” than we care about the 700M people currently in poverty” is a terrible framing of Longtermism. Maybe it’s technically correct one level but all compassion and nuance is lost.
Longtermists care deeply about the 700 million people in poverty, and many of them have already given much of their life and money towards ending that poverty. They also see the huge future potential of humanity and see value in building and safeguarding a better future for their children and their children’s children. They’ve decided to devote their life to that better future, while many other effective altruists continue to raise funds and forge solutions to alleviate current global poverty.
Longtermism is compatible with good PR, I think we just often do it badly.
Overall this might be another tragic loss of a high profile smart guy who used to be at least a soft EA supporter.
Maybe I’m naive, but I think “care more about “asteroids and killer robots” than we care about the 700M people currently in poverty” is a terrible framing of Longtermism. Maybe it’s technically correct one level but all compassion and nuance is lost.
Longtermists care deeply about the 700 million people in poverty, and many of them have already given much of their life and money towards ending that poverty. They also see the huge future potential of humanity and see value in building and safeguarding a better future for their children and their children’s children. They’ve decided to devote their life to that better future, while many other effective altruists continue to raise funds and forge solutions to alleviate current global poverty.
Longtermism is compatible with good PR, I think we just often do it badly.
Overall this might be another tragic loss of a high profile smart guy who used to be at least a soft EA supporter.