I agree with all of this in principle so we’re now down to an empirical question.
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Me:
“However, I definitely call BS on 95%+ of arguments of the “I can’t be frugal/vegetarian/etc. because it would harm my productivity” type. I think we should just own up to having room to improve on the frugality angle and just not wanting to make that sacrifice. That’s how I feel, at least.”
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Rob:
I suspect that many EAs doing direct work are committing the reverse moral error of undervaluing their time in order to seem i) humble, ii) hardcore by being conspicuously frugal. They would be more moral people if they spent more on themselves. I didn’t used to think this, but seeing how time-effective direct work can be I have changed my mind.
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I suspect you’re right here that this would be empirically answerable, but the exact methods I’d want to employ elude me right now. Potentially worth thinking about, as it would definitely affect how I think and message around EA. There are certain people I’d want to be more hardcore and certain people I think who worry too much and should relax. It’s hard communicating that just right, and I don’t really meet up with enough EAs, in person, regularly enough, to get a good sense of what the balance is.
Thanks for the thoughtful response.
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Rob:
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Me:
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Rob:
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I suspect you’re right here that this would be empirically answerable, but the exact methods I’d want to employ elude me right now. Potentially worth thinking about, as it would definitely affect how I think and message around EA. There are certain people I’d want to be more hardcore and certain people I think who worry too much and should relax. It’s hard communicating that just right, and I don’t really meet up with enough EAs, in person, regularly enough, to get a good sense of what the balance is.