Thanks for sharing Lizka! I appreciate you sharing these considerations :)
Personally, I donated at roughly the 10% amount for several years before taking the pledge (and at some point in the process I actually thought I had but when I realised I in fact hadn’t in 2016 I then did it on the spot lest I forget again). I’ve definitely leaned into the “lifetime” part of the wording at points and after taking the pledge I had years where I gave below 10% (e.g. when working on my startup and taking home below minimum wage) and others where I have far exceeded that amount. While I’ve not taken the Further Pledge it is more similar to the way I think about my giving/living expenses.
I’m interested in hearing from people who might feel similarly about the full lifetime 10% pledge as to whether they have considered using the Trial Pledge for shorter periods or smaller amounts. And for those who have, how’d they find the experience? And those who haven’t, why not? (Personally, I hadn’t heard of it before I took the full pledge, so it might simply be awareness.)
FWIW almost half the new pledges each year are Trial Pledges.
You can think of the GWWC pledge as analogous to marriage, and that would make the trial pledge something like moving in together. In the romance analogy, some friends of mine who are reasonably averse to lifelong commitments do “handfasting”, or intentionally not lifelong partnerships. A thought I’ve had for a while is that the Trial Pledge, by virtue of its name if nothing else, does poorly in the position of handfasting, where often the intention is never to get married (/ take the pledge).
(Anyway, all academic for me as I’m crazy enough to have done the lifelong pledge.)
Does the marriage analogy as you perceive it include that breaking the pledge further down the line is pretty common and socially okay, but also that it’s a serious thing and breaking it is not to be taken lightly?
This is roughly how I view it, except I want to view the level of commitment for the GWWC pledge roughly the way the median of Western society views marriage, as opposed to (e.g.) how EAs view marriage.
I think that captures it about as well as I could. One thing I’d add is that similar to marriage my preferred norm is to formally resign if you no longer intend to stick with it (and not just start ghosting if you’re no longer vibing).
Less this:
More this:
...but then, I’d also like more marriages to end in a way that more peaceful and respectful than is common.
100% agree that the “Trial Pledge” branding doesn’t mesh well with those who are more serious than trialing but do not feel called to the 10%/life pledge. If the GWWC pledge is analogized to marriage, the Trial Pledge covers everything from the analogy to entering into a committed relationship (pledging 1% for a year) to the analogy to temporary marriages (pledging 10% for a time period) and the analogy to a registered domestic partnership (pledging, say, 5% for life).[1]
By “domestic partnerships,” I mean a legally recognized relationship status that can be seen as less than marriage. In the US, these statuses were often initially created to give some recognition to same-sex relationships, but even after marriage became available to all, these statuses remain on the books as an option for all relationships in some jurisdictions.
I like the analogies! I’ve used the former one before but I like the addition of “moving in together” analogy for the trial pledge.
Also regarding the name, it was “Try Giving Pledge” before and I think the “Trial Pledge” adjustment is a slight improvement, but really don’t think it’s been nailed. Would be super interested in alternative ideas and possible consequences of those names.
Thanks for sharing Lizka! I appreciate you sharing these considerations :)
Personally, I donated at roughly the 10% amount for several years before taking the pledge (and at some point in the process I actually thought I had but when I realised I in fact hadn’t in 2016 I then did it on the spot lest I forget again). I’ve definitely leaned into the “lifetime” part of the wording at points and after taking the pledge I had years where I gave below 10% (e.g. when working on my startup and taking home below minimum wage) and others where I have far exceeded that amount. While I’ve not taken the Further Pledge it is more similar to the way I think about my giving/living expenses.
I’m interested in hearing from people who might feel similarly about the full lifetime 10% pledge as to whether they have considered using the Trial Pledge for shorter periods or smaller amounts. And for those who have, how’d they find the experience? And those who haven’t, why not? (Personally, I hadn’t heard of it before I took the full pledge, so it might simply be awareness.)
FWIW almost half the new pledges each year are Trial Pledges.
You can think of the GWWC pledge as analogous to marriage, and that would make the trial pledge something like moving in together. In the romance analogy, some friends of mine who are reasonably averse to lifelong commitments do “handfasting”, or intentionally not lifelong partnerships. A thought I’ve had for a while is that the Trial Pledge, by virtue of its name if nothing else, does poorly in the position of handfasting, where often the intention is never to get married (/ take the pledge).
(Anyway, all academic for me as I’m crazy enough to have done the lifelong pledge.)
I also like these analogies!
Does the marriage analogy as you perceive it include that breaking the pledge further down the line is pretty common and socially okay, but also that it’s a serious thing and breaking it is not to be taken lightly?
This is roughly how I view it, except I want to view the level of commitment for the GWWC pledge roughly the way the median of Western society views marriage, as opposed to (e.g.) how EAs view marriage.
I think that captures it about as well as I could. One thing I’d add is that similar to marriage my preferred norm is to formally resign if you no longer intend to stick with it (and not just start ghosting if you’re no longer vibing).
Less this:
More this:
...but then, I’d also like more marriages to end in a way that more peaceful and respectful than is common.
100% agree that the “Trial Pledge” branding doesn’t mesh well with those who are more serious than trialing but do not feel called to the 10%/life pledge. If the GWWC pledge is analogized to marriage, the Trial Pledge covers everything from the analogy to entering into a committed relationship (pledging 1% for a year) to the analogy to temporary marriages (pledging 10% for a time period) and the analogy to a registered domestic partnership (pledging, say, 5% for life).[1]
By “domestic partnerships,” I mean a legally recognized relationship status that can be seen as less than marriage. In the US, these statuses were often initially created to give some recognition to same-sex relationships, but even after marriage became available to all, these statuses remain on the books as an option for all relationships in some jurisdictions.
I like the analogies! I’ve used the former one before but I like the addition of “moving in together” analogy for the trial pledge.
Also regarding the name, it was “Try Giving Pledge” before and I think the “Trial Pledge” adjustment is a slight improvement, but really don’t think it’s been nailed. Would be super interested in alternative ideas and possible consequences of those names.
Babble:
1 year pledge (+ 5 year pledge + 10 year pledge)
Something to riff off of: Pledgette. Compartmitment.
Handfasting Pledge
Present Pledge
Tour Pledge