I think giving circles like those that AIM run are a great option in this kind of case. They are a great way to build understanding around giving, while being well supported and also providing accountability
I also think lots of people will make statements along the lines of “EA is no longer the default option for smart people” as an excuse/copout for not giving at all, when really the issue is just value drift and greed catching up with them. If you don’t want to give “EA style” that’s great, as long as you’ve got another plan where to give it.
I think cross cause-area comparisons are great to consider, but cross cause-area rankings are a bit absurd given how big the error bars are around future stuff and animal welfare calculations. I don’t mind someone making a ranking list as an interesting exercise that the odd person are going to defer to, but more realistically people are going to anchor on one cause area or another. At least have within-cause rankings before you start cross-cause ranking.
People within the field say they don’t even want to do cost-effectiveness analysis within AI safety charities (I feel they could make a bit more of an effort). How on earth then will you do it cross-cause?
GiveWell and HLI basically rank global health/Dev charities. If you’re that keen on rankings, why not start by making an animal welfare and AI safety rank list first, then if people take that seriously perhaps you can start cross-cause ranking with non-absurdity
I once spoke to a philanthropist who told me her earliest mistake was “sitting alone in a room, writing checks.” It was hard for her to trust people because everyone kept trying to get her money. Eventually, she realized isolation wasn’t serving her.
Battery Powered is intended to help with that type of mistake. It’s a philanthropy community where people who are new to philanthropy mix with people who are more familiar with it, so they cross-pollinate and mentor each other. The BP staff — including you, Colleen — has several experts who research issues chosen by the members, and then vet organizations working on those issues. This gives members a chance to learn about the issues before they vote on which organizations get the money.
I think giving circles like those that AIM run are a great option in this kind of case. They are a great way to build understanding around giving, while being well supported and also providing accountability
I also think lots of people will make statements along the lines of “EA is no longer the default option for smart people” as an excuse/copout for not giving at all, when really the issue is just value drift and greed catching up with them. If you don’t want to give “EA style” that’s great, as long as you’ve got another plan where to give it.
I think cross cause-area comparisons are great to consider, but cross cause-area rankings are a bit absurd given how big the error bars are around future stuff and animal welfare calculations. I don’t mind someone making a ranking list as an interesting exercise that the odd person are going to defer to, but more realistically people are going to anchor on one cause area or another. At least have within-cause rankings before you start cross-cause ranking.
People within the field say they don’t even want to do cost-effectiveness analysis within AI safety charities (I feel they could make a bit more of an effort). How on earth then will you do it cross-cause?
GiveWell and HLI basically rank global health/Dev charities. If you’re that keen on rankings, why not start by making an animal welfare and AI safety rank list first, then if people take that seriously perhaps you can start cross-cause ranking with non-absurdity
Could you give a concise explanation of what giving circles are?
Lydia Laurenson has a non-concise article here.