I don’t have any studies I can point to on this, no, but the idea that privileged white men find it easier to take a universalising, impartial approach to doing good seems intuitively plausible. Admittedly, most of the data I have to support that argument are from private conversations, along with a general lack of demographic diversity in EA.
I’m open to the idea that I could be wrong here—can I ask you to explain in a little more detail why you feel that the PoC case isn’t unique?
To weigh in here as someone who had to read some race studies literature in college:
the idea that privileged white men find it easier to take a universalising, impartial approach to doing good seems intuitively plausible
I think that’s probably true—the theory I’ve read is based on the idea that white straight men are positioned as the “norm” under racial/gender hierarchy in Western society. Everyone else is othered and seen in relation to that norm. Some oversimplified examples:
“Unisex” sizing is actually men’s sizing.
Fresh Off The Boat is marketed as an ethnic, Asian-American story. Friends is just a show about some people who are friends, and doesn’t need to justify its existence by discussing experiences peculiar to the White community.
Car crash dummies are usually shaped to the average man, meaning that women are more likely to die in car crashes.
The whole concept of “ethnic food”.
Given instances like this, it makes sense to me that white men find it easier to be impartial, and PoC are more likely to be aware of and care about issues special to us communities, because knowledge, culture, and norms seen as “impartial” often exclude us.
That being said, I don’t know if PoC feel a stronger desire to donate to their communities than Boy Scouts. Personally, I think that’s just a reason for EA to figure out ways to appeal to Boy Scouts, not to appeal less to PoC.
My null hypothesis is that everyone wants to keep donations in their community. Being impartial with regard to time and place and species etc. requires some extra thought or will or persuasion for all of us. I think this is hard for anyone and I am not sure why this would be harder for POC than anyone else. You state it’s plausible for the most privileged to find this easier, which I agree is plausible, but I think you could also make the case that the opposite is plausible.
“Someone who has known discrimination, who has known what it feels like to be disadvantaged and voiceless, will more keenly be able to observe and sympathize with others who are voiceless.” or some such.
You’re suggesting that they feel a “special obligation” so it seems from my perspective that the burden of evidence would rest with you. You stated you don’t have any studies, just conversations. That’s fine, I just don’t find it very convincing so I think the null stands until more evidence comes forth. Cheers.
I also don’t think the prior should be ‘people of all ethnicities feel the exact same set of charitable obligations’ - that seems like a similarly strong claim.
Still, in the absence of any good data to back up my claim or yours, I think it’s appropriate to be very uncertain about any hypothesis we might have about why people do or don’t give.
Hi Tyner, thanks for your message,
I don’t have any studies I can point to on this, no, but the idea that privileged white men find it easier to take a universalising, impartial approach to doing good seems intuitively plausible. Admittedly, most of the data I have to support that argument are from private conversations, along with a general lack of demographic diversity in EA.
I’m open to the idea that I could be wrong here—can I ask you to explain in a little more detail why you feel that the PoC case isn’t unique?
To weigh in here as someone who had to read some race studies literature in college:
I think that’s probably true—the theory I’ve read is based on the idea that white straight men are positioned as the “norm” under racial/gender hierarchy in Western society. Everyone else is othered and seen in relation to that norm. Some oversimplified examples:
“Unisex” sizing is actually men’s sizing.
Fresh Off The Boat is marketed as an ethnic, Asian-American story. Friends is just a show about some people who are friends, and doesn’t need to justify its existence by discussing experiences peculiar to the White community.
Car crash dummies are usually shaped to the average man, meaning that women are more likely to die in car crashes.
The whole concept of “ethnic food”.
Given instances like this, it makes sense to me that white men find it easier to be impartial, and PoC are more likely to be aware of and care about issues special to us communities, because knowledge, culture, and norms seen as “impartial” often exclude us.
That being said, I don’t know if PoC feel a stronger desire to donate to their communities than Boy Scouts. Personally, I think that’s just a reason for EA to figure out ways to appeal to Boy Scouts, not to appeal less to PoC.
Hi John,
My null hypothesis is that everyone wants to keep donations in their community. Being impartial with regard to time and place and species etc. requires some extra thought or will or persuasion for all of us. I think this is hard for anyone and I am not sure why this would be harder for POC than anyone else. You state it’s plausible for the most privileged to find this easier, which I agree is plausible, but I think you could also make the case that the opposite is plausible.
“Someone who has known discrimination, who has known what it feels like to be disadvantaged and voiceless, will more keenly be able to observe and sympathize with others who are voiceless.” or some such.
You’re suggesting that they feel a “special obligation” so it seems from my perspective that the burden of evidence would rest with you. You stated you don’t have any studies, just conversations. That’s fine, I just don’t find it very convincing so I think the null stands until more evidence comes forth. Cheers.
I also don’t think the prior should be ‘people of all ethnicities feel the exact same set of charitable obligations’ - that seems like a similarly strong claim.
Still, in the absence of any good data to back up my claim or yours, I think it’s appropriate to be very uncertain about any hypothesis we might have about why people do or don’t give.
Thanks for improving my thinking on this.