That’s an interesting list, especially for 30 minutes :) (Makes me wonder what you or others could do with more time.)
Much of it focused on EA community stuff. I kind of wonder if funders are extra resistant to some of this because it seems like they’re just “giving money to their friends”, which in some ways, they are. I could see some of it feeling odd and looking bad, but I think if done well it could be highly effective.
Many religious and ethnic groups spend a lot of attention helping each other, and it seems to have very positive effects. Right now EA (and the subcommunities I know of in EA) seem fairly far from that still.
A semi-related point on that topic; I’ve noticed that for many intelligent EAs, it feels like EA is a competition, not a collaboration. Individuals at social events will be trying to one-up each other with their cleverness. I’m sure I’ve contributed to this. I’ve noticed myself becoming jealous when I hear of others who are similar in some ways doing well, which really should make no sense at all. I think in the anonymous surveys 80K did a while back a bunch of people complained that there was a lot of signaling going on and that status was a big deal.
Many companies and open source projects live or die depending on the cultural health. Investments in the cultural health of EA may be difficult to measure, but pay off heavily in the long run.
100% agree that cultural health is very important, and that EA is under-investing in it. (The “we don’t want to just give money to our friends” point resonates, and other scrupulosity-related stuff is probably at play here as well.)
Individuals at social events will be trying to one-up each other with their cleverness. I’m sure I’ve contributed to this. I’ve noticed myself becoming jealous when I hear of others who are similar in some ways doing well, which really should make no sense at all.
Thank you for talking about this!
I’ve noticed similar patterns in my own mind, especially around how I engage with this Forum. (I’ve been stepping back from it more this year because I’ve noticed that a lot of my engagement wasn’t coming from a loving place.)
These dynamics may not make any sense, but there are deep biological & psychological forces giving rise to them. [insert Robin Hanson’s “everything you do is signaling” rant here]
… I think in the anonymous surveys 80K did a while back a bunch of people complained that there was a lot of signaling going on and that status was a big deal.
Right. Last year concerns about status made a lot of heat on the Forum (1, 2, 3), but as far as I know nothing has really changed since then, perhaps other than more folks acknowledging that status is a thing.
That’s an interesting list, especially for 30 minutes :) (Makes me wonder what you or others could do with more time.)
Much of it focused on EA community stuff. I kind of wonder if funders are extra resistant to some of this because it seems like they’re just “giving money to their friends”, which in some ways, they are. I could see some of it feeling odd and looking bad, but I think if done well it could be highly effective.
Many religious and ethnic groups spend a lot of attention helping each other, and it seems to have very positive effects. Right now EA (and the subcommunities I know of in EA) seem fairly far from that still.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/2018/09/south-asia-america-motels-immigration/
A semi-related point on that topic; I’ve noticed that for many intelligent EAs, it feels like EA is a competition, not a collaboration. Individuals at social events will be trying to one-up each other with their cleverness. I’m sure I’ve contributed to this. I’ve noticed myself becoming jealous when I hear of others who are similar in some ways doing well, which really should make no sense at all. I think in the anonymous surveys 80K did a while back a bunch of people complained that there was a lot of signaling going on and that status was a big deal.
Many companies and open source projects live or die depending on the cultural health. Investments in the cultural health of EA may be difficult to measure, but pay off heavily in the long run.
Thanks!
100% agree that cultural health is very important, and that EA is under-investing in it. (The “we don’t want to just give money to our friends” point resonates, and other scrupulosity-related stuff is probably at play here as well.)
Thank you for talking about this!
I’ve noticed similar patterns in my own mind, especially around how I engage with this Forum. (I’ve been stepping back from it more this year because I’ve noticed that a lot of my engagement wasn’t coming from a loving place.)
These dynamics may not make any sense, but there are deep biological & psychological forces giving rise to them. [insert Robin Hanson’s “everything you do is signaling” rant here]
Right. Last year concerns about status made a lot of heat on the Forum (1, 2, 3), but as far as I know nothing has really changed since then, perhaps other than more folks acknowledging that status is a thing.
(Status seems closely related to scrupulosity & to EA being vetting-constrained; I haven’t unpacked this yet.)