I had the same impression, that a big picture view talk was expected but that the actual talk was focused on a single issue and in a fairly philosophical framing.
So I thought it was an excellent talk but it still gave me a strange feeling as the dominant and first EAG response to what happened (I know this made sense given other sessions covering other aspects, but I am unsure it will be perceived this way (one slice of the puzzle) given its keynote character).
I want to second this being a missed opportunity as being a missed opportunity to talk about wider issues, including governance (I tweeted so at the time). Listeners are likely to interpret, from your focus on character, and given your position as a leading EA speaking on the most prominent platform in EA—the opening talk at EAG—that this is all effective altruists should think about. But we don’t try to stop crimes just by encouraging people to have good character. And, if the latest Time article is to be believed, there was lots of evidence of SBF’s bad character, but this seemingly wasn’t sufficient to avert or mitigate disaster.
I still find it surprising and disappointing that there has been no substantive public discussion of governance reform from EA leaders (I keep asking people to point me to some, but no one has!). At the very least you’d have expected someone to do the normal academic thing of “we considered all these options, but we ruled them out, which is why we’re sticking with the status quo”.
Listeners are likely to interpret, from your focus on character, and given your position as a leading EA speaking on the most prominent platform in EA—the opening talk at EAG—that this is all effective altruists should think about.
Really? I don’t think I’ve ever encountered someone interpreting the topic of an EAG opening talk as being “all EAs should think about”.
Maybe I should have phrased what I’d said somewhat differently, but I expect EAs to very heavily take their cues from what established community leaders say, particularly when they speak in the ‘prime time’ slots.
This feels like a missed opportunity.
My sense is that this was an opportunity to give a “big picture view” rather than note a particular underrated aspect.
If you think there were more important improvements, why not say them, at least as context, in one of the largest forums on this topic?
Thanks for your work :)
I had the same impression, that a big picture view talk was expected but that the actual talk was focused on a single issue and in a fairly philosophical framing.
So I thought it was an excellent talk but it still gave me a strange feeling as the dominant and first EAG response to what happened (I know this made sense given other sessions covering other aspects, but I am unsure it will be perceived this way (one slice of the puzzle) given its keynote character).
I want to second this being a missed opportunity as being a missed opportunity to talk about wider issues, including governance (I tweeted so at the time). Listeners are likely to interpret, from your focus on character, and given your position as a leading EA speaking on the most prominent platform in EA—the opening talk at EAG—that this is all effective altruists should think about. But we don’t try to stop crimes just by encouraging people to have good character. And, if the latest Time article is to be believed, there was lots of evidence of SBF’s bad character, but this seemingly wasn’t sufficient to avert or mitigate disaster.
I still find it surprising and disappointing that there has been no substantive public discussion of governance reform from EA leaders (I keep asking people to point me to some, but no one has!). At the very least you’d have expected someone to do the normal academic thing of “we considered all these options, but we ruled them out, which is why we’re sticking with the status quo”.
Really? I don’t think I’ve ever encountered someone interpreting the topic of an EAG opening talk as being “all EAs should think about”.
Maybe I should have phrased what I’d said somewhat differently, but I expect EAs to very heavily take their cues from what established community leaders say, particularly when they speak in the ‘prime time’ slots.