EAs have a norm of reaching out to groups for comment before publishing criticism of them
By not following that norm, you are alienating yourself from the community youâre trying to woo
As to whether this norm is good or not, that ultimately boils down to the assumption of good faith. EAs tend to make that assumption about people who talk the talk, sometimes to our discredit. Iâd be interested in more discussion of this assumption, which I think is part of the âimplicit curriculumâ of joining the community. But adopting a more adversarial stance, and expecting the community to get onboard without actually litigating the underlying point, seems unlikely to succeed and therefore inconsistent with your goals.
Another thought: I also object to the maximalist marketing that nonprofits often adopt when they solicit donations. But from their POV, itâs a total prisonersâ dilemma: everyone else is pushing the boundaries, so if you donât, you get left behind. I donât see how criticizing one group, or even a handful of them, is going to change that dynamic. It would require culture change, which is a hard problem.
I see this issue as:
youâre trying to gain traction among EAs
EAs have a norm of reaching out to groups for comment before publishing criticism of them
By not following that norm, you are alienating yourself from the community youâre trying to woo
As to whether this norm is good or not, that ultimately boils down to the assumption of good faith. EAs tend to make that assumption about people who talk the talk, sometimes to our discredit. Iâd be interested in more discussion of this assumption, which I think is part of the âimplicit curriculumâ of joining the community. But adopting a more adversarial stance, and expecting the community to get onboard without actually litigating the underlying point, seems unlikely to succeed and therefore inconsistent with your goals.
Another thought: I also object to the maximalist marketing that nonprofits often adopt when they solicit donations. But from their POV, itâs a total prisonersâ dilemma: everyone else is pushing the boundaries, so if you donât, you get left behind. I donât see how criticizing one group, or even a handful of them, is going to change that dynamic. It would require culture change, which is a hard problem.