If you’re able to work with rich people, wouldn’t it be wasteful not to do it? … [T]heir idiosyncrasies end up having an outsized effect? That’s probably going to happen in every situation where a rich person is passionate (and hands-on involved) about a cause
If that will happen whenever a rich person is passionate about a cause, then opting to work with rich people can cause more harm than good. Opting out certainly doesn’t have to be “wasteful”.
My initial thinking was that “idiosyncrasies” can sometimes be neutral or even incidentally good.
But I think you’re right that this isn’t the norm and it can quickly happen that it makes things worse when someone only has a lot of influence because they have money, rather than having influence because they are valued by their peers for being unusually thoughtful.
(FWIW, I think the richest individuals within EA often defer to the judgment of EA researchers, as opposed to setting priorities directly themselves?)
FWIW, I think the richest individuals within EA often defer to the judgment of EA researchers, as opposed to setting priorities directly themselves
I’m not saying I know anything to the contrary—but I’d like to point out that we have no way of knowing. This is a major disadvantage of philanthropy—where governments are required to be transparent regarding their fund allocations, individual donors are given privacy and undisclosed control over who receives their donations and what organisations are allowed to use them for.
If that will happen whenever a rich person is passionate about a cause, then opting to work with rich people can cause more harm than good. Opting out certainly doesn’t have to be “wasteful”.
My initial thinking was that “idiosyncrasies” can sometimes be neutral or even incidentally good.
But I think you’re right that this isn’t the norm and it can quickly happen that it makes things worse when someone only has a lot of influence because they have money, rather than having influence because they are valued by their peers for being unusually thoughtful.
(FWIW, I think the richest individuals within EA often defer to the judgment of EA researchers, as opposed to setting priorities directly themselves?)
I’m not saying I know anything to the contrary—but I’d like to point out that we have no way of knowing. This is a major disadvantage of philanthropy—where governments are required to be transparent regarding their fund allocations, individual donors are given privacy and undisclosed control over who receives their donations and what organisations are allowed to use them for.