(lots of downvotes, so where are all the comments?)
I want to reward you for bringing up the topic of power dynamics in EA. Those exist, like in any community, but especially in EA there seems to be a strong current of denying the fact that EA’s are constrained by their selfish incentives like everyone else. It requires heroism to go against that current.
But by just insinuating and not delivering any concrete evidence or constructive suggestions for change, you haven’t really done your homework. I advise you to withdraw this post, cut out half the narrative crap, add some evidence and a model, make a recommendation, then repost it.
I advise you to withdraw this post, cut out half the narrative crap, add some evidence and a model, make a recommendation, then repost it.
Moderator here!
This looks like it was intended to be tough love, but it’s also a mild-to-moderate case of “unnecessary rudeness”.
Let’s try to stay polite in our comments, especially when the issue at stake is “I think your post is unclear” rather than “I think this post will hurt people” or “I think this thing you want people to donate to is a scam”.
Yes, that would have been sufficient. The “withdraw this post” part seems a bit harsh (and redundant, since editing a post entails “withdrawing” the old version), but not to the point where I’d say anything about it as a mod.
I appreciate your engaging with my comment — it’s hard to do mod stuff without coming across as overbearing, but I really value your contributions to the Forum. It’s just a struggle to find balance between our more direct commenters and the people who find the Forum’s culture intimidating.
(lots of downvotes, so where are all the comments?)
I want to reward you for bringing up the topic of power dynamics in EA. Those exist, like in any community, but especially in EA there seems to be a strong current of denying the fact that EA’s are constrained by their selfish incentives like everyone else. It requires heroism to go against that current.
But by just insinuating and not delivering any concrete evidence or constructive suggestions for change, you haven’t really done your homework. I advise you to withdraw this post, cut out half the narrative crap, add some evidence and a model, make a recommendation, then repost it.
Moderator here!
This looks like it was intended to be tough love, but it’s also a mild-to-moderate case of “unnecessary rudeness”.
Let’s try to stay polite in our comments, especially when the issue at stake is “I think your post is unclear” rather than “I think this post will hurt people” or “I think this thing you want people to donate to is a scam”.
Would removing the “crap” have been sufficient to make it polite? I like to be direct.
Yes, that would have been sufficient. The “withdraw this post” part seems a bit harsh (and redundant, since editing a post entails “withdrawing” the old version), but not to the point where I’d say anything about it as a mod.
I appreciate your engaging with my comment — it’s hard to do mod stuff without coming across as overbearing, but I really value your contributions to the Forum. It’s just a struggle to find balance between our more direct commenters and the people who find the Forum’s culture intimidating.
Where are all the comments, indeed...
”I advise you to withdraw this post, cut out half the narrative crap, add some evidence and a model, make a recommendation, then repost it.”
I think this is basically fair, though from my perspective the narrative crap is doing important work.
I have limited capacity these days so I’m writing this argument as a serial, posting it as I can find the time.
In the meanwhile, this sequence from a few years ago (a) makes a similar argument following the form you suggest.