Strong upvote here. I really like how you calmly assessed each of these in a way that feels very honest and has a all-cards-on-the-table feel to it. Some may still have reservations towards your comments given that you seem to at least somewhat fit into this picture of EA leadership, but this feels largely indicative of a general anger at the circumstances turned inwards towards EA that feels rather unhealthy. I certainly appreciate the OP as this does seem like a moment ripe for asking important questions that need answers, but don’t forget that those in leadership are humans who make mistakes too, and are generally people who seem really committed to trying to do what everyone in EA is: make the world a better place.
I think it’s right that those in leadership are humans who make mistakes, and I am sure they are generally committed to EA; in fact, many have served as real inspirations to me.
Nonetheless, as a movement we were founded on the idea that good intentions are not enough, and somewhere this seems to be getting lost somehow. I have no pretentions I would do a better job in leadership than these people; rather, I think the way EA concentrates power (formally and even more so informally) in a relatively small and opaque leadership group seems problematic. To justify this, I think we would need these decisionmakers to be superhuman, like Platos Philosopher King. But they are not, they are just human.
Swinging in a bit late here, but found myself compelled to ask, what sort of structure do you think would be better for EA, like in specific terms beyond “a greater spread of control and power to make decisions”?
Strong upvote here. I really like how you calmly assessed each of these in a way that feels very honest and has a all-cards-on-the-table feel to it. Some may still have reservations towards your comments given that you seem to at least somewhat fit into this picture of EA leadership, but this feels largely indicative of a general anger at the circumstances turned inwards towards EA that feels rather unhealthy. I certainly appreciate the OP as this does seem like a moment ripe for asking important questions that need answers, but don’t forget that those in leadership are humans who make mistakes too, and are generally people who seem really committed to trying to do what everyone in EA is: make the world a better place.
I think it’s right that those in leadership are humans who make mistakes, and I am sure they are generally committed to EA; in fact, many have served as real inspirations to me. Nonetheless, as a movement we were founded on the idea that good intentions are not enough, and somewhere this seems to be getting lost somehow. I have no pretentions I would do a better job in leadership than these people; rather, I think the way EA concentrates power (formally and even more so informally) in a relatively small and opaque leadership group seems problematic. To justify this, I think we would need these decisionmakers to be superhuman, like Platos Philosopher King. But they are not, they are just human.
Swinging in a bit late here, but found myself compelled to ask, what sort of structure do you think would be better for EA, like in specific terms beyond “a greater spread of control and power to make decisions”?