Thread

1. s1artibartfast · 1791147361 · focus · HN ↗

   I'm always curious why effective altruists attract so much sneer and disdain when the topic comes up.

   At best they are just people trying to donate money to effective charities like mosquito nets in Africa. At worst, some might be wasting their money on animal welfare or AI safety. This doesn't seem like enough to fuel the kind of backlash I see.

   1. Marazan · 1791151021 · focus · HN ↗

      It's because of the gap in what they say and what they do.

      1. jefftk · 1791152146 · focus · HN ↗

         EAs have the lowest distance between what they think is the right thing to do and what they actually do of any group I've met.

         (I donate 50%, and quit a high-paying tech job to work at a biosecurity nonprofit)

         1. cgio · 1791158718 · focus · HN ↗

            You may do that with honesty and just be a useful front for the heads behind the curtain. In their calculations you are still the value of 32 prawns or something.

            1. s1artibartfast · 1791161023 · focus · HN ↗

               What does that mean? What is the real goal of the conspiracy?

               1. cgio · 1791166662 · focus · HN ↗

                  Any conspiracy has simple goals. Control, power, money sometimes as a means to the first two. It’s not even conspiratorial right now to assess that EA members go for these. Not all of them, but the ones that matter in this discussion.

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