I’m very new here, just signed in today so I’m unfamiliar with all the formats at the point but I often seek to explain how biological factors can play a role in morality or our decision making because it can be useful to understand our brain’s limitations among all the other factors.
Stress, isolation and the position of power have consequences for the brain. The less cooperative one has to function within their society to leads to damage in areas of the brain responsible for decision making, the anterior cingulate cortex being the most key area. It breaks down the ability for the human to manage their own emotions and impulse control becomes a problem over time. I haven’t followed SBFs career closely but there were perhaps signs of his brain struggling. Addiction is a typical symptom this is occuring.
We are but human, all of us, and we can’t supercede how our brains evolved to operate. It’s a very tricky position to have so much responsibility and power, that consolidation of power becomes potentially harmful as it did with FTX. This is my no means an excuse for SBF, it’s just a potential problem to consider when engaging in effective altruism through large amounts of wealth. Managing ones own ego is maybe a lot harder than some anticipated. Perhaps even the most difficult tasks they’ll ever do because of the design of the brain. Lots and lots of emotional self care would help, but free will is a tricky concept of whether it’s possible to beat our own brains since we make decisions before we become aware we did. Self compassion is a very important piece, maybe one SBF did not have.
I’m very new here, just signed in today so I’m unfamiliar with all the formats at the point but I often seek to explain how biological factors can play a role in morality or our decision making because it can be useful to understand our brain’s limitations among all the other factors.
Stress, isolation and the position of power have consequences for the brain. The less cooperative one has to function within their society to leads to damage in areas of the brain responsible for decision making, the anterior cingulate cortex being the most key area. It breaks down the ability for the human to manage their own emotions and impulse control becomes a problem over time. I haven’t followed SBFs career closely but there were perhaps signs of his brain struggling. Addiction is a typical symptom this is occuring.
We are but human, all of us, and we can’t supercede how our brains evolved to operate. It’s a very tricky position to have so much responsibility and power, that consolidation of power becomes potentially harmful as it did with FTX. This is my no means an excuse for SBF, it’s just a potential problem to consider when engaging in effective altruism through large amounts of wealth. Managing ones own ego is maybe a lot harder than some anticipated. Perhaps even the most difficult tasks they’ll ever do because of the design of the brain. Lots and lots of emotional self care would help, but free will is a tricky concept of whether it’s possible to beat our own brains since we make decisions before we become aware we did. Self compassion is a very important piece, maybe one SBF did not have.