cdc482

Karma: 41

cdc482 16 Aug 2016 21:22 UTC
2 points
0 ∶ 0
in reply to: tjmather’s comment on: Effective Altruists really love EA: Evidence from EA Global
Just my opinion. I’d like to see more EA’s working together. For example, at a couple events there were discussion of helping people pursue higher paying jobs in software development. I met another EA who invests money for EAs at a rate significantly higher than the market without taking fees.

cdc482 15 Aug 2016 22:32 UTC
6 points
0 ∶ 0
in reply to: Peter Wildeford’s comment on: Effective Altruists really love EA: Evidence from EA Global
Im an EA. I’ve donated over 50% of my income for over 3 years, and I’ve been active volunteering (informally and formally) for over 8 years. I rarely felt comfortable at an EA event or meetup.

Ive met a handful of people who donate 10%, and a handful of people who do some volunteer work. I’ve also met a bunch of people I suspect of being more interested in philosophy and socializing than altruism. EA community building is a huge disappointment.

There is huge potential in EAs working together—the sum of the wholes are greater than the sum of the parts. But after 3 years of trying, I’m about ready to give up.

cdc482 15 Aug 2016 1:48 UTC
3 points
0 ∶ 0
on: Effective Altruists really love EA: Evidence from EA Global
“Lets poll EAG attendees to see how EAs feel about EA” -no statistician ever

cdc482 9 Aug 2016 23:28 UTC
1 point
0 ∶ 0
on: Starting a conversation about Effective Environmentalism
I think is a great opportunity for the information we know on acting well to be formalized into recommendations. For example, I believe the consensus is that buying organic is not particularly good for environment while going veg has a large measurable effect. There are other relatively small changes you can make to your home and place of employment like reducing waste and planting trees. Any have input?

cdc482 30 Jul 2016 19:17 UTC
0 points
0 ∶ 0
in reply to: AGB 🔸’s comment on: Earning to Give v. Pursuing your Passion/Direct Work
Regarding the second quote, pretend you’re debating between a job you love and a job that pays double. The quote is saying that if you really love the job, you may wind up being paid comparably anyway, because people who are passionate about their work tend to be the best, and tend to be paid way more than average.

cdc482 29 Jul 2016 22:59 UTC
0 points
0 ∶ 0
on: Making EA groups more welcoming
Id like to see a similar post about productive group events.

This rings true for the meetup I attend.

(Homogenous groups miss out on talent, experience, and information held by those who aren’t in the limited social group they recruit from. We end up with lopsided skill sets and the same conversations again and again.)

cdc482 29 Jul 2016 2:41 UTC
0 points
0 ∶ 0
in reply to: egastfriend’s comment on: Philanthropy Advisory Fellowship: Mental Health in Sub-Saharan Africa
If I remember correctly, participants were read stories and then asked to recall sad details. Not trying to be a downer, but the study’s design is poorly related to PTSD.

cdc482 25 Jul 2016 4:27 UTC
3 points
0 ∶ 0
in reply to: Peter Wildeford’s comment on: Reasons for EA Meetups to Exist
EA dark humor.

cdc482 23 Jul 2016 15:16 UTC
0 points
0 ∶ 0
in reply to: John_Maxwell’s comment on: 50% every 5 years > 10% every year
Good point, the best strategy will vary based on income. I guess getting above that $6,500 is the first hurdle.

cdc482 23 Jul 2016 15:12 UTC
3 points
0 ∶ 0
in reply to: Jeff Kaufman 🔸’s comment on: 50% every 5 years > 10% every year
The December and January donation idea is a great solution. Also, touche’. This wouldn’t apply to people itemizing due to other deductions like a mortgage.

cdc482 23 Jul 2016 4:34 UTC
0 points
0 ∶ 0
in reply to: kokotajlod’s comment on: EA != minimize suffering
Makes sense. Ethics—like spirituality—seems far too complicated too have a simple set of rules.

cdc482 22 Jul 2016 12:38 UTC
1 point
0 ∶ 0
on: Philanthropy Advisory Fellowship: Water, Sanitation, and Handwashing
This is really cool work you’re doing! How much money has been donated more effectively as a result? I bet GiveWell and Open Phil would be interested in seeing the evidence generated as a result of your recommendation.

Unrelated and less interesting, I remember hearing a few years ago that the lack of benefits from providing safe drinking water (reduction in illness from water-born bacteria) was not due to a lack of technological solutions. In fact, the technology exists and is inexpensive to supply. However, there are societal and cultural difficulties in convincing people that there is any benefit to using the technology. After all, for generations they have viewed diarrhea as a part of life instead of as a symptom of unclean drinking water. I wonder what you’ve found related to changing social and cultural attitudes in lake or river communities.

cdc482 22 Jul 2016 12:31 UTC
0 points
0 ∶ 0
on: Philanthropy Advisory Fellowship: Mental Health in Sub-Saharan Africa
Have you shared this with GiveWell or Open Phil team? Especially considering that depression has such a negative impact on DALYs or QALYs (whichever you prefer), I think much of this research could be done outside of sub-Saharan Africa.

Also, where did you find the information regarding propranolol for PTSD? I remember reading about a couple studies done in Canada a couple years back that seemed promising, but concluded there was a lot more testing to be done.

cdc482 21 Jul 2016 1:37 UTC
0 points
0 ∶ 0
in reply to: Julia_Wise🔸’s comment on: EA != minimize suffering
I’m surprised how personally you took that. I was just speaking generally, though you did say it better.

cdc482 21 Jul 2016 1:35 UTC
0 points
0 ∶ 0
on: Reasons for EA Meetups to Exist
I agree that diminishing returns are hit very quickly when the focus is on effective “donating.” I am interested in skills training, and I have proposed a group therapy-like format, where EAs discuss their own experiences with altruism and effectiveness—including complications/issues, success stories, and even promoting altruistic qualities in other aspects of life.

For example, I think we could learn a lot from the officer in the video below—to see through all the divisive boundaries of the current system and do the best you can in the current situation. These traits take practice, and community support is vital. Open-mindedness, empathy, willingness, and resolve.

http://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2016/07/19/dancing-cop-black-lives-matter-bbq.ksnw

cdc482 14 Jul 2016 22:34 UTC
0 points
0 ∶ 0
in reply to: Lila’s comment on: EA != minimize suffering
EA is an evolving movement, but the reasons for prioritizing violence and poor governance in the developing world seem weak. It’s certainly altruistic and the amount of suffering it addresses is enormous. However, the world is in such a sad state of affairs, that I don’t think such a complex and unexplored will compete with charities addressing basic needs like alleviating poverty or even OpenPhil’s current agenda of prison reform and factory farm suffering. That said, you could start the exploring. Isn’t that how the other causes became mainstream within the EA movement?

cdc482 14 Jul 2016 3:09 UTC
2 points
0 ∶ 0
in reply to: ClaireZabel’s comment on: EA != minimize suffering
I had fun talking with you, so I googled your username. :O

Thank you for all the inspirational work you do for EA! You’re a real-life superhero! I feel like a little kid meeting Batman. I can’t believe you took the time to talk to me!

cdc482 14 Jul 2016 3:06 UTC
0 points
0 ∶ 0
in reply to: ClaireZabel’s comment on: EA != minimize suffering
Touche’. I concede, but I just want to reiterate that fiction “can and often does involve revealing important truths,” so that I am not haunted by the ghost of Joseph Campbell.

cdc482 14 Jul 2016 2:43 UTC
0 points
0 ∶ 0
in reply to: ClaireZabel’s comment on: EA != minimize suffering
I didn’t realize before, but this is actually most interesting to me now that multiple people have challenged the OP. In other words, I agree with the point a few people have made that few active EAs would define EA so narrowly. I must have misconstrued something somewhere.

Admittedly, I know very little about philanthropists, but I imagine they want to change the world to a common degree. Their intentions are pure, but their motivation is minimal. This is a guess, but Warren Buffet stated that the opportunity cost for spending his money elsewhere is extremely low. Generally, I believe that activists tend to be more impassioned.

I identify as an EA, and I certainly relate to activists more than philanthropists, and I had thought that EA marketed itself towards these sorts of people. Regardless, I definitely agree that there is overlap between all three groups.

cdc482 14 Jul 2016 2:27 UTC
0 points
0 ∶ 0
in reply to: ClaireZabel’s comment on: EA != minimize suffering
I think I understand your point. Opiates have a lot of negative connotations. Maybe a nervous system whose pleasure sensors are constantly triggered is a better example. I should have said that I am biased by the fact that I live in an environment where this isn’t possible. You explained it more simply.

Well-being is very tricky to define, isn’t it? I like it a lot more than ‘maximizing happiness’ or ‘minimizing suffering,’ which was mostly what inspired the OP. I guess we don’t know enough about it to define it perfectly, but as Bill said, do we need to?