Hi Jeff—thanks for these numbers; you probably know the EA community better than I do, and have been actively engaged as an ‘EA parent’ longer than I have.
I acknowledge that a significant proportion of EAs have kids (e.g. at least 5⁄10 top 10 well-known EAs, 8⁄32 top wiki EA-associated people, 8⁄50 top EA Forum karma people). But, worldwide, it looks like about 70-80% of mature adults have kids at some point, so EAs might be on the lower end of having kids, and/or skew younger.
But, when I referred to the EA culture as seeming ‘relatively childless’, I was thinking more in terms of the culture, norms, and perspectives that shape EA values and messaging—not the relative lack of kids appearing on EA podcasts or at EA events.
I don’t expect parents in EA to talk about their kids a lot—which becomes very tedious to non-parents. Rather, I’m concerned that having kids in EA might be seen as a decision that requires some special ethical justification or career rationale or impact assessment, rather than as a normal thing that human creatures do after they sexually mature, find mates, and settle down.
Sorry if my tone came across as tendentious; it seems like we probably agree about most of this!
Hi Jeff—thanks for these numbers; you probably know the EA community better than I do, and have been actively engaged as an ‘EA parent’ longer than I have.
I acknowledge that a significant proportion of EAs have kids (e.g. at least 5⁄10 top 10 well-known EAs, 8⁄32 top wiki EA-associated people, 8⁄50 top EA Forum karma people). But, worldwide, it looks like about 70-80% of mature adults have kids at some point, so EAs might be on the lower end of having kids, and/or skew younger.
But, when I referred to the EA culture as seeming ‘relatively childless’, I was thinking more in terms of the culture, norms, and perspectives that shape EA values and messaging—not the relative lack of kids appearing on EA podcasts or at EA events.
I don’t expect parents in EA to talk about their kids a lot—which becomes very tedious to non-parents. Rather, I’m concerned that having kids in EA might be seen as a decision that requires some special ethical justification or career rationale or impact assessment, rather than as a normal thing that human creatures do after they sexually mature, find mates, and settle down.
Sorry if my tone came across as tendentious; it seems like we probably agree about most of this!