The culture emphasizes analysis over practice, and it does not attract many of the leaders and builders that are critical for maximizing impact.
EA has a lot of rhetoric around openness to ideas and perspectives, but actual interaction with the EA universe can feel more like certain conclusions are encased in concrete.
It seems to me that there is some tension between these two criticisms — you want EA to focus less on analysis, but you also don’t want us to be too wedded to our conclusions. So how are we supposed to change our minds about the conclusions w/o doing analysis?
My guess (based on the rest of the essay), is that you want our analysis to be more informed by practice.
But I just want to emphasize that, in my view, analysis (and specifically cause neutrality) is what makes EA unique. If you take out the analysis, then it’s not clear what value EA has to offer the rest of the charity / social impact world.
Analysis is of course incredibly important no matter what you are trying to do. Analysis coupled with building/data gathering/experimentation is much better than analysis alone.
“It’s much easier, and more reliable, to assess a project once it’s already been tried.”
you also don’t want us to be too wedded to our conclusions
Isn’t not being wedded to your conclusions a core idea of the EA movement?
But I just want to emphasize that, in my view, analysis (and specifically cause neutrality) is what makes EA unique. If you take out the analysis, then it’s not clear what value EA has to offer the rest of the charity / social impact world.
So of course I am not suggesting EA take out the analysis. From my post:
It provides a place for analysis and practice to intersect—Many current EAs may be stronger in gathering and analyzing data to help guide and influence those on the front lines. At the same time, all analysis is improved by interaction with the real world. This represents a place where those that analyze and those that build can interact to their mutual benefit.
My second thought is what is EAs core priority? Is it uniqueness or impact? If becoming less unique increases your impact would you choose to become less unique? If the core value is maximizing impact, all secondary values should be subordinate to that one.
It seems to me that there is some tension between these two criticisms — you want EA to focus less on analysis, but you also don’t want us to be too wedded to our conclusions. So how are we supposed to change our minds about the conclusions w/o doing analysis?
My guess (based on the rest of the essay), is that you want our analysis to be more informed by practice.
But I just want to emphasize that, in my view, analysis (and specifically cause neutrality) is what makes EA unique. If you take out the analysis, then it’s not clear what value EA has to offer the rest of the charity / social impact world.
Analysis is of course incredibly important no matter what you are trying to do. Analysis coupled with building/data gathering/experimentation is much better than analysis alone.
“It’s much easier, and more reliable, to assess a project once it’s already been tried.”
Isn’t not being wedded to your conclusions a core idea of the EA movement?
So of course I am not suggesting EA take out the analysis. From my post:
It provides a place for analysis and practice to intersect—Many current EAs may be stronger in gathering and analyzing data to help guide and influence those on the front lines. At the same time, all analysis is improved by interaction with the real world. This represents a place where those that analyze and those that build can interact to their mutual benefit.
My second thought is what is EAs core priority? Is it uniqueness or impact? If becoming less unique increases your impact would you choose to become less unique? If the core value is maximizing impact, all secondary values should be subordinate to that one.