Thanks for the write-up, Julia. I’ll say that this dovetails with my experience working in the non-EA world, including in organizations where things went really, really bad.
My main recommendation is that, even if it is hard, staff stand up for themselves and their colleagues, and to push back against bad bosses—something that is necessary even if not sufficient. This goes double for those of us who are senior staff:
(1) You are harder to replace and your opinion carries more weight (2) You have more working experience, and unlike your more junior colleagues, you know that what’s happening isn’t normal and isn’t acceptable—something that isn’t necessary obvious for someone for whom this is their first job our of university. (3) You may be more financially secure, but this depends (e.g. new mortgages and kids, or being on a work visa make things harder). (4) Your silence is tacit acceptance.
I want to go a step further, and suggest that it is morally valuable to put yourself in positions where it is easier to stand up for yourself and others. One of the most legible ways is to keep savings high and expenses low*, so you can afford to get fired.
*Although going too low can have a self-abnegating effect in some people that makes things worse, so be careful with this.
Thanks for the write-up, Julia. I’ll say that this dovetails with my experience working in the non-EA world, including in organizations where things went really, really bad.
My main recommendation is that, even if it is hard, staff stand up for themselves and their colleagues, and to push back against bad bosses—something that is necessary even if not sufficient. This goes double for those of us who are senior staff:
(1) You are harder to replace and your opinion carries more weight
(2) You have more working experience, and unlike your more junior colleagues, you know that what’s happening isn’t normal and isn’t acceptable—something that isn’t necessary obvious for someone for whom this is their first job our of university.
(3) You may be more financially secure, but this depends (e.g. new mortgages and kids, or being on a work visa make things harder).
(4) Your silence is tacit acceptance.
I want to go a step further, and suggest that it is morally valuable to put yourself in positions where it is easier to stand up for yourself and others. One of the most legible ways is to keep savings high and expenses low*, so you can afford to get fired.
*Although going too low can have a self-abnegating effect in some people that makes things worse, so be careful with this.