Looking at EA by movement evolution, it appears to me that EA remains quite conceptual exclusive. EA currently operates with relatively strict ideological boundaries:
Intellectual requirements: EA heavily emphasizes rationality, quantitative reasoning, and philosophical frameworks that can create high barriers to entry.
Conceptual vocabulary form an insider language that can be exclusionary.
EA’s roots in universities and philosophical traditions naturally filter for younger, academically-inclined participants.
The dominance of Western, particularly Anglo-American perspectives creates barriers.
I think this exclusivity — as you can observe in EA post like this one or in the application for EAG — could explain the age demographics you’ve observed. Older people with more established worldviews may find EA’s strict frameworks less appealing than younger people still forming their philosophical thoughts.
For EA to mature as a movement and achieve broader impact, I think it could transition to a more inclusive approach (creating space for those who share EA’s core values but approach them through different frameworks, traditions or cultural contexts). I do agree that it is difficult to maintain intellectual coherence while broadening some thoughts. But it might be an explanation.
Looking at EA by movement evolution, it appears to me that EA remains quite conceptual exclusive. EA currently operates with relatively strict ideological boundaries:
Intellectual requirements: EA heavily emphasizes rationality, quantitative reasoning, and philosophical frameworks that can create high barriers to entry.
Conceptual vocabulary form an insider language that can be exclusionary.
EA’s roots in universities and philosophical traditions naturally filter for younger, academically-inclined participants.
The dominance of Western, particularly Anglo-American perspectives creates barriers.
I think this exclusivity — as you can observe in EA post like this one or in the application for EAG — could explain the age demographics you’ve observed. Older people with more established worldviews may find EA’s strict frameworks less appealing than younger people still forming their philosophical thoughts.
For EA to mature as a movement and achieve broader impact, I think it could transition to a more inclusive approach (creating space for those who share EA’s core values but approach them through different frameworks, traditions or cultural contexts). I do agree that it is difficult to maintain intellectual coherence while broadening some thoughts. But it might be an explanation.