Longer-standing EAs also don’t seem to engage much with EA infrastructure. Of the EAs I know who’ve been around for a while, I don’t know any who are part of a local group, and only a small handful actively engage on the Forum.
As a long-time EA, I don’t engage here because the EA Forum is awful and corrosive: it’s full of dumb criticisms and bitter, jealous people, and it’s hard to imagine anything good coming from engaging with it; I wish that this forum would just shut down. This is maybe interesting as a datapoint on how EA infrastructure can be pathological. It’s not a consequence of me disliking EA.
If you’re saying EA forum engagement may be net negative and are willing to engage on that here, I’d be curious to understand your perspective on that.
Speaking for myself, reading and engaging on this forum ~2y ago helped me substantially with my cause prioritization in my donations and my identification as an EA community member. Now that the forum isn’t as active as it was, I’ve been wanting to push myself to contribute more, as a public service with the hope that others will benefit the same way.
With all its flaws, this forum remains probably the best place on the internet where a wide range of people can come together and discuss doing good.
As an overactive user, I just haven’t seen much of what you describe. I’ve hardly seen anything I’d call corrosive, and where are these “bitter, jealous people” you speak of?
”As a long-time EA, I don’t engage here because the EA Forum is awful and corrosive: it’s full of dumb criticisms and bitter, jealous people, and it’s hard to imagine anything good coming from engaging with it”
I’ll agree with you that we make dumb criticisms, I’ve made more than my my fair share. But I think that can be a feature as much of a bug. We’re all fumbling around trying to figure out the best way to do good, and making stupid arguments along the way is part of the process. Dumb criticism can be a step on the path of figuring out how to be moreright.
Do you think this is AI safety-specific, because LessWrong pulls the people who have engaged most deeply with AI safety, and so the EA Forum is left primarily with people who aren’t as into or understand arguments around AI safety?
Or, do you think this is generally bad across causes, and the EA Forum is net negative for other causes, too?
As a long-time EA, I don’t engage here because the EA Forum is awful and corrosive: it’s full of dumb criticisms and bitter, jealous people, and it’s hard to imagine anything good coming from engaging with it; I wish that this forum would just shut down. This is maybe interesting as a datapoint on how EA infrastructure can be pathological. It’s not a consequence of me disliking EA.
If you’re saying EA forum engagement may be net negative and are willing to engage on that here, I’d be curious to understand your perspective on that.
Speaking for myself, reading and engaging on this forum ~2y ago helped me substantially with my cause prioritization in my donations and my identification as an EA community member. Now that the forum isn’t as active as it was, I’ve been wanting to push myself to contribute more, as a public service with the hope that others will benefit the same way.
What’s been informing your perspective?
Really? It’s full of this stuff? I’ve been reading it for 5+ years and barely seen this. Can someone who agrees with this provide examples?
I disagree that it is full of this stuff. It does exist, though I don’t find the stuff to get surfaced much.
Lol, IMO this comment is kinda rude and disrespectful.
What is “effective” or “altruistic” about it?
This isn’t LessWrong. Dumb people can do good effectively if they are disciplined, thoughtful and careful. Haven’t you ever asked a stupid question?
It might not be the best use of your time to be kind, helpful and supportive to people trying to do good better. But if not, why are you here?
With all its flaws, this forum remains probably the best place on the internet where a wide range of people can come together and discuss doing good.
As an overactive user, I just haven’t seen much of what you describe. I’ve hardly seen anything I’d call corrosive, and where are these “bitter, jealous people” you speak of?
”As a long-time EA, I don’t engage here because the EA Forum is awful and corrosive: it’s full of dumb criticisms and bitter, jealous people, and it’s hard to imagine anything good coming from engaging with it”
I’ll agree with you that we make dumb criticisms, I’ve made more than my my fair share. But I think that can be a feature as much of a bug. We’re all fumbling around trying to figure out the best way to do good, and making stupid arguments along the way is part of the process. Dumb criticism can be a step on the path of figuring out how to be moreright.
Do you think this is AI safety-specific, because LessWrong pulls the people who have engaged most deeply with AI safety, and so the EA Forum is left primarily with people who aren’t as into or understand arguments around AI safety?
Or, do you think this is generally bad across causes, and the EA Forum is net negative for other causes, too?