The reason for posting these facts now is that as of the time of writing, Leverage’s successor, the Paradigm Academy is seeking to host the EA Summit in one week. The hope is that these facts would firstly help to inform effective altruists on the matter of whether they would be well-advised to attend, and secondly, what approach they may want to take if they do attend.
Leverage Research has recruited from the EA community using mind-maps and other psychological techniques, obtaining dozens of years of work, but doing little apparent good. As a result, the author views it as inadvisable for EAs to engage with Leverage Research and its successor, Paradigm Academy. Rather, they should seek the advice of mentors outside of the Leverage orbit before deciding to attend such an event. Based on past events such as the Pareto Fellowship, invitees who ultimately decide to attend would be well-advised to be cautious about recruitment, by keeping in touch with friends and mentors throughout.
The reason for posting these facts now is that as of the time of writing, Leverage’s successor, the Paradigm Academy is seeking to host the EA Summit in one week. The hope is that these facts would firstly help to inform effective altruists on the matter of whether they would be well-advised to attend, and secondly, what approach they may want to take if they do attend.
I’ve provided my explanations for the following in this comment:
No evidence has been provided Paradigm Academy is Leverage’s successor. While the OP stated facts about Leverage, all the comments declaring more facts about Leverage Research are merely casting spurious associations between Leverage Research and the EA Summit. Along with the facts, you’ve smuggled in an assumption amounting to nothing more than a conspiracy theory about Leverage rebranding themselves as Paradigm Academy and is organizing the 2018 EA Summit for some unclear and ominous reason. In addition to no logical reason or sound evidence being provided for how Leverage’s negative reputation in EA should be transferred to the upcoming Summit, my interlocutors have admitted themselves or revealed their evidence from personal experience to be weak. I’ve provided my direct personal experience knowing the parties involved in organizing the EA Summit, and also having paid close attention from afar of Leverage’s trajectory in and around EA, contrary to the unsubstantiated thesis the 2018 EA Summit is some opaque machination by Leverage Research.
There is no logical connection between the facts about Leverage Research and the purpose of the upcoming EA Summit. Further, the claims presented as facts about the upcoming Summit aren’t actually facts.
Leverage Research has recruited from the EA community using mind-maps and other psychological techniques, obtaining dozens of years of work, but doing little apparent good. As a result, the author views it as inadvisable for EAs to engage with Leverage Research and its successor, Paradigm Academy.
At this point, I’ll just point out the idea Paradigm is somehow necessarily in any sense Leverage’s successor is based on no apparent evidence. So the author’s advice doesn’t logically follow from the claims made about Leverage Research. What’s more, as I demonstrated in my other comments, this event isn’t some unilateral attempt by Paradigm Academy to steer EA in some unknown direction.
Rather, they should seek the advice of mentors outside of the Leverage orbit before deciding to attend such an event.
As one of the primary organizers for the EA community in Vancouver, Canada; the primary organizer for the rationality community in Vancouver; a liaison for local representation of these communities with adjacent communities; and an organizer for many novel efforts to coordinate effective altruists, including the EA Newsletter, I don’t know if I’d describe myself as a “mentor.” But I know others who see me that way, and it wouldn’t be unfair of me to say both digitally, and geographically on the west coast; in Vancouver; and in Canada, I am someone who creates more opportunities for many individuals to connect to EA.
Also, if it wasn’t clear, I’m well outside the Leverage orbit. If someone wants to accuse me of being a hack for Leverage, I can make some effort to prove I’m not part of their orbit (though I’d like to state that I would still see that as unnecessarily poor faith in this conversation). Anyway, as an outsider and veteran EA community organizer, I’m willing to provide earnest and individuated answers to questions about why I’m going to the 2018 EA Summit; or why and what kind of other effective altruists should also attend. I am not speaking for anyone but myself. I’m willing to do this in-thread as replies to this comment; or, if others would prefer, on social media or in another EA Forum post. Because I don’t have as much time, and I’d to answer such questions transparently, I will only answer questions publicly asked of me.
Based on past events such as the Pareto Fellowship, invitees who ultimately decide to attend would be well-advised to be cautious about recruitment, by keeping in touch with friends and mentors throughout.
Unlike the author of this post and comment stated, it doesn’t follow this event will be anything like the Pareto Fellowship, as there aren’t any facts linking Leverage Research’s past track record as an organization to the 2018 EA Summit.
For what it’s worth to anyone, I intend to attend the 2018 EA Summit, and I offer as a friend my support and contact regarding any concerns other attendees may have.
See Geoff’s reply to me below: Paradigm and Leverage will at some point be separate, but right now they’re closely related (both under Geoff etc). I think it’s reasonable for people to use Leverage’s history and track record in evaluating Paradigm.
The reason for posting these facts now is that as of the time of writing, Leverage’s successor, the Paradigm Academy is seeking to host the EA Summit in one week. The hope is that these facts would firstly help to inform effective altruists on the matter of whether they would be well-advised to attend, and secondly, what approach they may want to take if they do attend.
Leverage Research has recruited from the EA community using mind-maps and other psychological techniques, obtaining dozens of years of work, but doing little apparent good. As a result, the author views it as inadvisable for EAs to engage with Leverage Research and its successor, Paradigm Academy. Rather, they should seek the advice of mentors outside of the Leverage orbit before deciding to attend such an event. Based on past events such as the Pareto Fellowship, invitees who ultimately decide to attend would be well-advised to be cautious about recruitment, by keeping in touch with friends and mentors throughout.
I think this would be more useful as part of the main post than as a comment.
I’ve provided my explanations for the following in this comment:
No evidence has been provided Paradigm Academy is Leverage’s successor. While the OP stated facts about Leverage, all the comments declaring more facts about Leverage Research are merely casting spurious associations between Leverage Research and the EA Summit. Along with the facts, you’ve smuggled in an assumption amounting to nothing more than a conspiracy theory about Leverage rebranding themselves as Paradigm Academy and is organizing the 2018 EA Summit for some unclear and ominous reason. In addition to no logical reason or sound evidence being provided for how Leverage’s negative reputation in EA should be transferred to the upcoming Summit, my interlocutors have admitted themselves or revealed their evidence from personal experience to be weak. I’ve provided my direct personal experience knowing the parties involved in organizing the EA Summit, and also having paid close attention from afar of Leverage’s trajectory in and around EA, contrary to the unsubstantiated thesis the 2018 EA Summit is some opaque machination by Leverage Research.
There is no logical connection between the facts about Leverage Research and the purpose of the upcoming EA Summit. Further, the claims presented as facts about the upcoming Summit aren’t actually facts.
At this point, I’ll just point out the idea Paradigm is somehow necessarily in any sense Leverage’s successor is based on no apparent evidence. So the author’s advice doesn’t logically follow from the claims made about Leverage Research. What’s more, as I demonstrated in my other comments, this event isn’t some unilateral attempt by Paradigm Academy to steer EA in some unknown direction.
As one of the primary organizers for the EA community in Vancouver, Canada; the primary organizer for the rationality community in Vancouver; a liaison for local representation of these communities with adjacent communities; and an organizer for many novel efforts to coordinate effective altruists, including the EA Newsletter, I don’t know if I’d describe myself as a “mentor.” But I know others who see me that way, and it wouldn’t be unfair of me to say both digitally, and geographically on the west coast; in Vancouver; and in Canada, I am someone who creates more opportunities for many individuals to connect to EA.
Also, if it wasn’t clear, I’m well outside the Leverage orbit. If someone wants to accuse me of being a hack for Leverage, I can make some effort to prove I’m not part of their orbit (though I’d like to state that I would still see that as unnecessarily poor faith in this conversation). Anyway, as an outsider and veteran EA community organizer, I’m willing to provide earnest and individuated answers to questions about why I’m going to the 2018 EA Summit; or why and what kind of other effective altruists should also attend. I am not speaking for anyone but myself. I’m willing to do this in-thread as replies to this comment; or, if others would prefer, on social media or in another EA Forum post. Because I don’t have as much time, and I’d to answer such questions transparently, I will only answer questions publicly asked of me.
Unlike the author of this post and comment stated, it doesn’t follow this event will be anything like the Pareto Fellowship, as there aren’t any facts linking Leverage Research’s past track record as an organization to the 2018 EA Summit.
For what it’s worth to anyone, I intend to attend the 2018 EA Summit, and I offer as a friend my support and contact regarding any concerns other attendees may have.
See Geoff’s reply to me below: Paradigm and Leverage will at some point be separate, but right now they’re closely related (both under Geoff etc). I think it’s reasonable for people to use Leverage’s history and track record in evaluating Paradigm.