This post seems somewhat misleading to me. The main question I have is: how are left wing and right wing being defined? The post seems to be defining left-wing as extreme radical anti-capitalism. As another commenter noted, if we define left wing more broadly to include centre-left political culture, then EA seems quite symbiotic with left-wing culture.
How are we defining right wing? The post seems to be defining right-wing as some kind of centre(ish)-right political culture. If we define right-wing more broadly include extreme right-wing culture which includes extreme nationalist views and an overall hostility to foreign aid, then right-wing political culture seems much less friendly to EA. EDIT: The OP does include these points, but seems to minimize them, i.e. extreme right wing culture on my understanding does not have “some attachment” to local charities, but thinks that people in “shithole” countries deserve to be in the condition they are, and would actively oppose helping these people through foreign aid.
This post seems to be defining left-wing as extreme anti capitalism while excluding moderate left-wing culture and defining right wing as excluding extreme right-wing views. The result is that left-wing culture appears more hostile than right-wing culture.
If we are comparing extreme left-wing view with less extreme right-wing views then this seems plausible, but if we compare extreme left-wing culture with extreme right-wing culture, then this is much less clear, and if we compare left-wing culture broadly defined with right wing culture broadly defined, then EA seems more at home on the left, as shown by the fact that most EAs are left leaning.
The post seems to be defining left-wing as extreme radical anti-capitalism.
Lots of the examples are not anti-capitalist (at least, not necessarily, though there may be overlap).
The post seems to be defining right-wing as some kind of centre-right political culture.
No, it just seems to be the case that far-right views are relatively rare in EA’s local environment, perhaps rarer more generally, so I haven’t got any examples. I’d definitely agree that far-right views would do more damage to the EA movement than more moderate ones (person for person), but it is a bit speculative as there has not been as much interaction. I already stated that the observation that EA suffers more harm from the left wing than from the right wing has more to do with the local context than the ideologies themselves, so I’m not sure what there is left to say.
extreme right wing culture on my understanding does not have “some attachment” to locate charities, but thinks that people in “shithole” countries deserve to be in the condition they are,
I have not seen any reason to believe this. Though they do oppose foreign aid for more instrumental reasons.
EA seems more at home on the left
My main point is not about left wing vs right wing, it’s about moderation vs extremism. Between the political mainstreams, center left and center right views are equally fine for EA. I don’t think that splitting hairs over which kind of extremism is worse is important.
This post seems somewhat misleading to me. The main question I have is: how are left wing and right wing being defined? The post seems to be defining left-wing as extreme radical anti-capitalism. As another commenter noted, if we define left wing more broadly to include centre-left political culture, then EA seems quite symbiotic with left-wing culture.
How are we defining right wing? The post seems to be defining right-wing as some kind of centre(ish)-right political culture. If we define right-wing more broadly include extreme right-wing culture which includes extreme nationalist views and an overall hostility to foreign aid, then right-wing political culture seems much less friendly to EA. EDIT: The OP does include these points, but seems to minimize them, i.e. extreme right wing culture on my understanding does not have “some attachment” to local charities, but thinks that people in “shithole” countries deserve to be in the condition they are, and would actively oppose helping these people through foreign aid.
This post seems to be defining left-wing as extreme anti capitalism while excluding moderate left-wing culture and defining right wing as excluding extreme right-wing views. The result is that left-wing culture appears more hostile than right-wing culture.
If we are comparing extreme left-wing view with less extreme right-wing views then this seems plausible, but if we compare extreme left-wing culture with extreme right-wing culture, then this is much less clear, and if we compare left-wing culture broadly defined with right wing culture broadly defined, then EA seems more at home on the left, as shown by the fact that most EAs are left leaning.
Lots of the examples are not anti-capitalist (at least, not necessarily, though there may be overlap).
No, it just seems to be the case that far-right views are relatively rare in EA’s local environment, perhaps rarer more generally, so I haven’t got any examples. I’d definitely agree that far-right views would do more damage to the EA movement than more moderate ones (person for person), but it is a bit speculative as there has not been as much interaction. I already stated that the observation that EA suffers more harm from the left wing than from the right wing has more to do with the local context than the ideologies themselves, so I’m not sure what there is left to say.
I have not seen any reason to believe this. Though they do oppose foreign aid for more instrumental reasons.
My main point is not about left wing vs right wing, it’s about moderation vs extremism. Between the political mainstreams, center left and center right views are equally fine for EA. I don’t think that splitting hairs over which kind of extremism is worse is important.