I think much of the advocacy within EA is reasonably thoughtful and truth-seeking. Reasoning and uncertainties are often transparently communicated. Here are two examples based on my personal impressions:
advocacy around donating a fraction of one’s income to effective charities is generally focused on providing accounts of key facts and statistics, and often acknowledges its demandingness and its potential for personal and social downsides
wild animal suffering advocacy usually does things like acknowledging the second-order effects of interventions on ecosystems, highlights the amount of uncertainty around the extent of suffering and often calls for more research rather than immediate intervention
By contrast, EA veganism advocacy has done a much poorer job in remaining truth-seeking as Elizabeth has pointed out.
Thanks for your thoughtful reply, I appreciate it :)
I am a bit confused still. I’m struggling to see how the work of GWWC is similar to the Pause Movement? Unless you’re saying there is a vocal contingent of EAs (who don’t work for GWWC) who publicly advocate (to non-EAs) for donating ≥ 10% of your income? I haven’t seen these people.
In short, I’m struggling to see how they’re analogous situations.
Can you provide a historical example of advocacy that you think reaches a high level of thoughtfulness and consideration?
I think much of the advocacy within EA is reasonably thoughtful and truth-seeking. Reasoning and uncertainties are often transparently communicated. Here are two examples based on my personal impressions:
advocacy around donating a fraction of one’s income to effective charities is generally focused on providing accounts of key facts and statistics, and often acknowledges its demandingness and its potential for personal and social downsides
wild animal suffering advocacy usually does things like acknowledging the second-order effects of interventions on ecosystems, highlights the amount of uncertainty around the extent of suffering and often calls for more research rather than immediate intervention
By contrast, EA veganism advocacy has done a much poorer job in remaining truth-seeking as Elizabeth has pointed out.
Thanks for your thoughtful reply, I appreciate it :)
I am a bit confused still. I’m struggling to see how the work of GWWC is similar to the Pause Movement? Unless you’re saying there is a vocal contingent of EAs (who don’t work for GWWC) who publicly advocate (to non-EAs) for donating ≥ 10% of your income? I haven’t seen these people.
In short, I’m struggling to see how they’re analogous situations.
You asked for examples of advocacy done well with respect to truth-seekingness/providing well-considered takes, and I provided examples.
You seem annoyed, so I will leave the conversation here.