I’d say I’m a newcomer to EA. I’d also say I’m in Phase 1. In other words, I’d say I’m an infatuated newcomer reading a post meant to warn newcomers against infatuation.
I agree with Helen’s overall argument, and I think it applies to most ideologies, movements, passions, and ideas. Overcommitment leads to burnout and backlash and eventual disillusionment — people shouldn’t become overly infatuated with anything.
Figuring out gaps, mistakes, subtle wrongnesses, etc. is so helpful! That’s what we most desperately need as a community! And it will often begin with a feeling of something being subtly off…
I have a feeling of something being subtly off, and the thing that feels wrong is the tone of this post.
Before I clarify my critique, I want to strongly affirm my agreement with Helen’s thesis and thank her (as well as those she thanks) for writing and editing this post.
This post feels condescending. I feel like a child being instructed on how to digest an ideology that I’m told is far too complicated for little me to explore on my own. I know that wasn’t at all Helen’s purpose; I know she had entirely good intentions. However, the post feels like it was written and edited exclusively by people who are intimately related to the EA movement, and never given to an inexperienced layman to digest.
I’m merely following Helen’s own instructions — I felt something subtly off, and I’m pointing it out. I hope those reading my comment realize that my goal is not to merely critique Helen, but also to inform future writers of future posts to keep in mind the importance of including the voices of the newcomers in posts directed at those newcomers.
I’m delighted that you went ahead and shared that the tone felt off to you! Thank you. You’re right that I didn’t really run this by any newcomers, so that’s on me.
(By way of explanation, but not excuse: I mostly wrote the piece while thinking of the main audience as being people who were already partway through the disillusionment pipeline—but then towards the end edited in more stuff that was relevant to newcomers, and didn’t adjust who I ran it by to account for that.)
I’m a not-newcomer who’s considering how to relay the takeaways from this post to my local EA group. I didn’t get condescendingness that you did, but I’m gonna take that into account now. So thanks!
I’d say I’m a newcomer to EA. I’d also say I’m in Phase 1. In other words, I’d say I’m an infatuated newcomer reading a post meant to warn newcomers against infatuation.
I agree with Helen’s overall argument, and I think it applies to most ideologies, movements, passions, and ideas. Overcommitment leads to burnout and backlash and eventual disillusionment — people shouldn’t become overly infatuated with anything.
I have a feeling of something being subtly off, and the thing that feels wrong is the tone of this post.
Before I clarify my critique, I want to strongly affirm my agreement with Helen’s thesis and thank her (as well as those she thanks) for writing and editing this post.
This post feels condescending. I feel like a child being instructed on how to digest an ideology that I’m told is far too complicated for little me to explore on my own. I know that wasn’t at all Helen’s purpose; I know she had entirely good intentions. However, the post feels like it was written and edited exclusively by people who are intimately related to the EA movement, and never given to an inexperienced layman to digest.
I’m merely following Helen’s own instructions — I felt something subtly off, and I’m pointing it out. I hope those reading my comment realize that my goal is not to merely critique Helen, but also to inform future writers of future posts to keep in mind the importance of including the voices of the newcomers in posts directed at those newcomers.
-Munn
I’m delighted that you went ahead and shared that the tone felt off to you! Thank you. You’re right that I didn’t really run this by any newcomers, so that’s on me.
(By way of explanation, but not excuse: I mostly wrote the piece while thinking of the main audience as being people who were already partway through the disillusionment pipeline—but then towards the end edited in more stuff that was relevant to newcomers, and didn’t adjust who I ran it by to account for that.)
I’m a not-newcomer who’s considering how to relay the takeaways from this post to my local EA group. I didn’t get condescendingness that you did, but I’m gonna take that into account now. So thanks!