Thanks for this post, this is very interesting. Also relevant to this topic is Matt Yglesias’ post today, The case for Terminator analogies, in which he advocates for mass-media portrayals of AGI like the terminator movies.
One idea that occurs to me to for a megaproject (although it may not be as scalable as some other projects) is something similar to GLAAD, but for EA/existential risk ideas.
GLAAD advocates for LGBT representation in the entertainment industry, as well as other pro-LBGT acceptance messaging and spent roughly $9 million in 2020. Although further in-depth research is required to determine GLAAD’s counterfactual impact, my sense is that they’ve been at least somewhat impactful. Gallup’s polling of US support for gay marriage has increased from 27% in 1996 to 70% in 2021, and the first GLAAD media awards for LGBT representation were held in 1990. Indeed, this article argues that GLAAD has been so effective, it has outlived its usefulness. Separately, the TV show Will & Grace (started in 1998) is sometimes credited with normalizing gay relationships, and Biden said in 2012: “I think Will & Grace did more to educate the American public more than almost anything anybody has done so far. People fear that which is different. Now they’re beginning to understand.”
GLAAD could be a model for an EA project that lobbies the entertainment industry to get movies and TV shows like the ones you mention above produced. It could also advise the industry on how to portray threats from pandemics and super-volcanoes (or similar) accurately. Another project in this area that could be used as a blueprint is AAAS’ Center for Public Engagement with Science and Technology.
GLAAD is a really useful case study, thanks for highlighting it. Participant Media was another model I had in mind—they produced Contagion, Spotlight, Green Book, An Inconvenient Truth, Citizenfour, Food Inc, and The Post amongst others.
Thanks for this post, this is very interesting. Also relevant to this topic is Matt Yglesias’ post today, The case for Terminator analogies, in which he advocates for mass-media portrayals of AGI like the terminator movies.
One idea that occurs to me to for a megaproject (although it may not be as scalable as some other projects) is something similar to GLAAD, but for EA/existential risk ideas.
GLAAD advocates for LGBT representation in the entertainment industry, as well as other pro-LBGT acceptance messaging and spent roughly $9 million in 2020. Although further in-depth research is required to determine GLAAD’s counterfactual impact, my sense is that they’ve been at least somewhat impactful. Gallup’s polling of US support for gay marriage has increased from 27% in 1996 to 70% in 2021, and the first GLAAD media awards for LGBT representation were held in 1990. Indeed, this article argues that GLAAD has been so effective, it has outlived its usefulness. Separately, the TV show Will & Grace (started in 1998) is sometimes credited with normalizing gay relationships, and Biden said in 2012: “I think Will & Grace did more to educate the American public more than almost anything anybody has done so far. People fear that which is different. Now they’re beginning to understand.”
GLAAD could be a model for an EA project that lobbies the entertainment industry to get movies and TV shows like the ones you mention above produced. It could also advise the industry on how to portray threats from pandemics and super-volcanoes (or similar) accurately. Another project in this area that could be used as a blueprint is AAAS’ Center for Public Engagement with Science and Technology.
GLAAD is a really useful case study, thanks for highlighting it. Participant Media was another model I had in mind—they produced Contagion, Spotlight, Green Book, An Inconvenient Truth, Citizenfour, Food Inc, and The Post amongst others.