I agree with you that taking lessons from groups with goals you might object to seems counter-intuitive. (I might also add that protests against nuclear weapons programs, fossil fuels, and CFCs seemed to have had creditworthy aims.) However, I agree with you that we can learn effective strategies from groups with wrong-headed goals. Restricting the data to just groups we agree with would lose lessons about efficacy/messaging/allyship etc.
(There’s also a broader question about whether this mixed reference class should make us worry about bad epistemics in AI activism community. @Oscar Delaney made a related comment in my other piece. However, I am comparing groups on what circumstances they were in (facing similar geopolitical/corporate incentives), not epistemics.)
I also agree that widening the scope beyond anti-technology protests would be interesting!
Hi Geoffrey, I appreciate that: thank you!
I agree with you that taking lessons from groups with goals you might object to seems counter-intuitive. (I might also add that protests against nuclear weapons programs, fossil fuels, and CFCs seemed to have had creditworthy aims.) However, I agree with you that we can learn effective strategies from groups with wrong-headed goals. Restricting the data to just groups we agree with would lose lessons about efficacy/messaging/allyship etc.
(There’s also a broader question about whether this mixed reference class should make us worry about bad epistemics in AI activism community. @Oscar Delaney made a related comment in my other piece. However, I am comparing groups on what circumstances they were in (facing similar geopolitical/corporate incentives), not epistemics.)
I also agree that widening the scope beyond anti-technology protests would be interesting!