There’s a private facebook group you can sign up for that has some pretty solid EA memes . I love it, but I always figured it was private for a reason—EA is full of lots of counterintuitive philosophical ideas that people find off-putting (like… utilitarianism alone is already off-putting to most normies), and EA seems to be very obsessed with having a good/prestigious reputation as a responsible, serious movement. Our jokes are mostly about how weird EA is, so we might want to keep our jokes to ourselves if we are desperately trying to seem normal to everyone else.
It’s certainly an interesting contrast with r/neoliberal, where dank memes somehow coexist side by side with long, earnest “effortposts” in the style of The Economist or D.C. think-tanks.
I think part of the difference is that memes are an underdog strategy—hence the effectiveness of right-wing memes around 2016 and the idea that “the left can’t meme”. Jokes have always been used to poke holes in the logic of the ruling ideology, hence the epic legacy of Russian political jokes.
Neoliberalism certainly isn’t a complete underdog—center-leftism broadly is arguably still the dominant global ideology. But they still have lots of opportunities to “punch up” at contradictions in the non-neoliberal doctrines of political leaders, major news publications, burdensome laws and regulations, etc.
With EA, it’s not clear that there’s any ruling ideology for us to try to take down a peg. We could start making fun of ordinary charities like the Red Cross and Salvation Army, but I doubt that would go over well. I think the lack of an external enemy means that most of our memes have to be self-deprecatory (making fun of how weird we are), lest they seem like “punching down” (reveling in how right we are and making fun of ordinary people who don’t agree with EA ideas).
But I’m not sure about that theory; hopefully there is some way we can figure out how to harness meme magic. New Cause Area?
I love it, but I always figured it was private for a reason—EA is full of lots of counterintuitive philosophical ideas that people find off-putting (like… utilitarianism alone is already off-putting to most normies), and EA seems to be very obsessed with having a good/prestigious reputation as a responsible, serious movement. Our jokes are mostly about how weird EA is, so we might want to keep our jokes to ourselves if we are desperately trying to seem normal to everyone else.
As an admin for that group, I can confirm that’s why the group has been private.
Our jokes are mostly about how weird EA is, so we might want to keep our jokes to ourselves if we are desperately trying to seem normal to everyone else.
We aren’t trying to desperately seem normal to everyone else. We should ’t try to be weird and we should probably try to fit in with mainstream society in some crucial ways but if our attempts to appear normal can be described as “desperate,” they’re probably an over-correction.
We could start making fun of ordinary charities like the Red Cross and Salvation Army, but I doubt that would go over well
One of the Salvation Army’s slogan is also “doing the most good,” and yes, that is really true, so that’s made for some great memes. Otherwise, yes, memes like this have mostly been taken to have been made in poor taste.
I’m not sure about that theory; hopefully there is some way we can figure out how to harness meme magic.
This has already been accomplished in multiple ways. Since it was launched almost seven years ago, among other achievements, a few hundred thousand dollars have been counterfactually donated to EA-prioritized causes through that group. I’ve thought of doing a write-up about it but I’ve not gotten around to it. I’d do that write-up if enough people thought it’d be valuable.
There’s a private facebook group you can sign up for that has some pretty solid EA memes . I love it, but I always figured it was private for a reason—EA is full of lots of counterintuitive philosophical ideas that people find off-putting (like… utilitarianism alone is already off-putting to most normies), and EA seems to be very obsessed with having a good/prestigious reputation as a responsible, serious movement. Our jokes are mostly about how weird EA is, so we might want to keep our jokes to ourselves if we are desperately trying to seem normal to everyone else.
It’s certainly an interesting contrast with r/neoliberal, where dank memes somehow coexist side by side with long, earnest “effortposts” in the style of The Economist or D.C. think-tanks.
I think part of the difference is that memes are an underdog strategy—hence the effectiveness of right-wing memes around 2016 and the idea that “the left can’t meme”. Jokes have always been used to poke holes in the logic of the ruling ideology, hence the epic legacy of Russian political jokes. Neoliberalism certainly isn’t a complete underdog—center-leftism broadly is arguably still the dominant global ideology. But they still have lots of opportunities to “punch up” at contradictions in the non-neoliberal doctrines of political leaders, major news publications, burdensome laws and regulations, etc.
With EA, it’s not clear that there’s any ruling ideology for us to try to take down a peg. We could start making fun of ordinary charities like the Red Cross and Salvation Army, but I doubt that would go over well. I think the lack of an external enemy means that most of our memes have to be self-deprecatory (making fun of how weird we are), lest they seem like “punching down” (reveling in how right we are and making fun of ordinary people who don’t agree with EA ideas).
But I’m not sure about that theory; hopefully there is some way we can figure out how to harness meme magic. New Cause Area?
As an admin for that group, I can confirm that’s why the group has been private.
We aren’t trying to desperately seem normal to everyone else. We should ’t try to be weird and we should probably try to fit in with mainstream society in some crucial ways but if our attempts to appear normal can be described as “desperate,” they’re probably an over-correction.
One of the Salvation Army’s slogan is also “doing the most good,” and yes, that is really true, so that’s made for some great memes. Otherwise, yes, memes like this have mostly been taken to have been made in poor taste.
This has already been accomplished in multiple ways. Since it was launched almost seven years ago, among other achievements, a few hundred thousand dollars have been counterfactually donated to EA-prioritized causes through that group. I’ve thought of doing a write-up about it but I’ve not gotten around to it. I’d do that write-up if enough people thought it’d be valuable.
Good joke at the end.