6. For signaling and credibility reasons, I think it’s generally good for EA groups to run activities that have very concrete, public, measurable impacts. This scores well on all of those (e.g., # of donors registered).
[7] …especially if groups have underutilized volunteer capacity.
I would say it’s worth doing for this reason alone. One reason group volunteer activities are often so ineffective is that the real point is social bonding over a shared altruistic project. EA groups could use more of that feeling of camaraderie and discrete accomplishment that doesn’t generally follow work on the most effective causes. Since I think it’s worth finding more activities that new people or low-commitment people could do to get started or that would boost morale, I don’t think it’s necessary to justify something like this solely in terms of direct effectiveness. Activities like this can really strengthen ties in the group, which are a huge multiplier the group’s and the individuals’ effectiveness.
Also, this is just my observation, but I think getting people to do easy things like giving up their organs after death creates a sense of altruistic buy-in that leaves them more favorably disposed toward greater altruism later.
I second concerns about making organ donor registration drives an EA “thing,” but I think it would probably be a nice idea for individual groups to do of their own iniative, especially if they think it would be good for them socially.
I would say it’s worth doing for this reason alone. One reason group volunteer activities are often so ineffective is that the real point is social bonding over a shared altruistic project. EA groups could use more of that feeling of camaraderie and discrete accomplishment that doesn’t generally follow work on the most effective causes. Since I think it’s worth finding more activities that new people or low-commitment people could do to get started or that would boost morale, I don’t think it’s necessary to justify something like this solely in terms of direct effectiveness. Activities like this can really strengthen ties in the group, which are a huge multiplier the group’s and the individuals’ effectiveness.
Also, this is just my observation, but I think getting people to do easy things like giving up their organs after death creates a sense of altruistic buy-in that leaves them more favorably disposed toward greater altruism later.
I second concerns about making organ donor registration drives an EA “thing,” but I think it would probably be a nice idea for individual groups to do of their own iniative, especially if they think it would be good for them socially.