I can see a lot of this in myself. I care about EA partly because it seems like a great way to help the world and partly because it assuages my need for certainty and good decision making.
In my case, scrupulous symptoms are related to feelings of worthlessness, like I alone have to live up to this perfect moral standard because somehow I can’t afford to be as immoral as a normal person
This is particular rings true. Having come from a strongly religious background I often feel perfection is the only aim of life.
I believe that EA selects for scrupulous people (like me), which concentrates these tendencies in a very connected community.
My suggestion is that we affirm the truths which are opposite to these tendencies ie, if you don’t care for yourself you will be less effective and less affected by good you are doing, because your own wellbeing will suffer. We should affirm “unspoken truths” because in not doing so we might accidentally forget to enact them.
I can see a lot of this in myself. I care about EA partly because it seems like a great way to help the world and partly because it assuages my need for certainty and good decision making.
This is particular rings true. Having come from a strongly religious background I often feel perfection is the only aim of life.
My suggestion is that we affirm the truths which are opposite to these tendencies ie, if you don’t care for yourself you will be less effective and less affected by good you are doing, because your own wellbeing will suffer. We should affirm “unspoken truths” because in not doing so we might accidentally forget to enact them.
Thanks for this good piece. Quite challenging.