Hello! Iâm Kyle, a dedicated advocate for global rights with over a decade of experience in community and movement building, Buddhist practice, and strategic international policy. My journey has spanned 86 countries, engaging with local activists, non-profit organizations, and international partners to foster sustainable change and enhance global wellbeing.
As Founder of the Contemplative Systems Institute (CSI), Iâm working to create a world where wisdom traditions inform our responses to humanityâs greatest challenges, leading to more ethical, resilient, and flourishing futures. This work involves building collaborative networks across academic institutions, contemplative communities, and policy organizations, while developing frameworks that translate traditional wisdom into practical solutions for contemporary issues.
Currently, I also serve as an Executive Assistant at Timaeus, supporting breakthrough scientific research on AI safety and alignment through singular learning theory, and as an Event Operations Contractor with the Mirror Biology Dialogues Fund, coordinating logistics for international events focused on addressing potential risks from mirror bacteria.
Previously, as Managing Director at Effective Altruism DC, I spearheaded initiatives that integrated ethical insights with practical interventions to address some of the worldâs most pressing issuesâfrom global health to emerging technology governance.
If you share these values, I would be thrilled to connect and discuss how we can work together to make a meaningful impact.
Kyle J. Lucchese đ¸
If you would like to contribute to one or several sections, that would also be helpful!
If you are interested in contributing to a book review, please either send me a message on the Forum or an email.
Here it is. I did not write a detailed reflection of my own (due to time constraints), but I did want to draw attention to the book so that others might also engage with it.
Depending on the timeline and the proposed structure, I might be amenable to collaborating or otherwise supporting a review. My own bias being that I am likely more sympathetic to the arguments presented than most EAs.
Hi, David. Thanks for your thoughts here. I recently wrote a book post (here on the Forum) upon its release. I would really enjoy reading your reflections once you publish them!
That seems like a reasonable assessment. I do think the authors would be willing to discuss their pieces, but I do not know how worthwhile it would be (though, admittedly, I think a public debate could make for an interesting event).
Yes, a lot of the first volume focuses on animal welfare. Though this volume is focused on animal welfare, I do think many of the takeaways I included might be echoed by critics in other cause areas.
A majority of the pieces are not written in academic form, even though most include citations from academic sources. The most obviously academic pieces are 9 by Adams, 15 by Sanbonmatsu, and 16 by Crary.
I would categorize the book as largely ânormalâ. It pulls from a group of writers whose backgrounds and writing styles vary.
The highest-level takeaways (not my own views, except when âI/âIâdâ is includedâ):
EA is missing relevant data due to its over-reliance on quantifiable data
Effective does not equal impactful
Lack of localized knowledge and interventions reduces sustainability, adoption (trust), and overall impact
The lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the community produces worse outcomes and less impact. The same is said regarding considerations of [racial] justice.
EA neglects engagement with non-EA movements and actors; in addition to worse EA outcomes, it harms otherwise positive work. In short, EA undervalues solidarity.
Iâd liken this to something along the lines of âEA doesnât play nicely with the other kids in the sandboxâ.
EA is too rigid and does not fair well in complex situations
EA lacks compassion/âis cold, and though it is commonly argued this improves outcomes, it is more harmful than not
EA relies upon and reifies systems that may be causing disproportionate harm; it fails to consider that radical changes outside of its scope may be the most impactful
EA is an egotistical philosophy and community; it speaks and acts with certainty that it shouldnât
ď Book Post: The Good It Promises, the Harm It Does: CritÂiÂcal EsÂsays on EffecÂtive Altruism
Thanks for the research and write up, Joel. I will be participating in a Shigella vaccine challenge study at the beginning of February (I learned of this particular study through 1Day Sooner). If anyone has questions, let me know.
Is it possible to include title and organization on name badges (ideally, this would be optional)?
I agree that who we center matters. Thanks for the feedback! It helped me to clarify the original message.
SharmakeâErme is correct. The original comment was edited for clarity.
This is true. My original comment has been edited to clarify my intent (as was later mentioned in a reply). The reference to thanks did more to confuse than to support. My apologies for the confusion.
As for the allegations of large-scale fraud: Yes, youâre correct that the situation has evolved several times, hence the numerous rephrases. Though, I am currently uncertain regarding whether fraud actually occurred. That said, I certainly agree that we should hold people to a high standard of ethical conduct.
Not wishing ill for peopleâparticularly when harm (whether intentional or unintentional) occursâis a central component of being compassionate. It is necessary to consider both those who have caused harm and those who are harmed, hence the phrasing of my original comment.
While this is all being sorted and we figure out what is next, I would like to emphasize wishes of wellness and care for the many impacted by this.
Note: The original post was edited to clarify the need for compassion and to remove anything resembling âtribalism,â including a comment of thanks, which may be referenced in comments.
EA DCâs November Newsletter is out now!
If you arenât already subscribed, you can do so here.
Itâs good to see that this is happening. I hope we will receive some updates after the Summit occurs.
I agree with Joshâs point and would like to expand on it a bit: I have noticed this same issue with other EA eventsâapplications/âadmissions do not leave enough time for visa processing for people in many countries. I suspect some who would otherwise attend might be prevented from doing so for visa reasons alone, given the short notice.
Good luck and enjoy!
Hi, Jordan!
The FAQ page for EA Globals is a good starting point, as is the EAGx Information page. These would likely be helpful in drafting questions based on what you/âothers believe to be missing.
If your questions donât end up being answered here, I imagine the EA Global team has more information they can share directly via email.
Thank you for writing this post and for your important work, Catherine, Anu, and Ĺukasz.
We (me and the rest of the EA DC team) are always trying to learn and make our community more inclusive. If I can somehow support you or your work, please do let me know.