I think it's okay to push back against obvious false claims, such as the one on eugenics and musk being an EA or whatever. Of course real world impact matters far more than these vibes-based conversations, and I'm p happy with EA and EAs on that front: forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/FTTPCt... - ThreadSky

opsimath.bsky.social • 4 days ago

I think it's okay to push back against obvious false claims, such as the one on eugenics and musk being an EA or whatever.

Of course real world impact matters far more than these vibes-based conversations, and I'm p happy with EA and EAs on that front:
https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/FTTPCtkizkAQ9fkvM/unicode-wvyp

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opsimath.bsky.social•4 days ago

I think I'm defensive because EAs are the ones who are doing a lot to reinstate USAID/PEPFAR — writing, protesting/advocacy, & donating!

Some rando on Bluesky claims it's EA-orchestrated, everyone else happily drinks that kool-aid — isn't that maddening?

As Jesse said: https://bsky.app/profile/jessetayriver.bsky.social/post/3lkjxqecok22l

jessetayriver.bsky.social•4 days ago

Yes consider 2 options. 1) we think you've misinterpreted EA ideas and adherents. Or 2) we've put quite a bit of effort into organizing and donating to ghd, protesting pepfar and usaid cuts and we claim the people who did them aren't us. But we're deceiving or can't identify our leaders or?

nberlat.bsky.social•4 days ago

I'm glad EA is working against this.

also Musk has repeatedly praised EA, and it appears to be an important factor in his ideology.

which makes sense since many EA critics have pointed out links between EA and eugenics.

jessetayriver.bsky.social•4 days ago

I think he's fallen off quite a bit in praising EA and his actions are antithetical to its values. I just bashed the Tates to MMA IG so I'm a bit overwhelmed so will see about addressing the eugenicist thing later maybe. Happy we agree that EAs support helping the global poor and that this is good

nberlat.bsky.social•4 days ago

I think they sometimes do. I think EA's emphasis on metrics and doing the absolute most with each dollar can actually cause a good bit of harm even when it isn't hijacked by longtermist bullshit.

nberlat.bsky.social•4 days ago

but I don't think everyone in the movement is a monster, and obviously it can do some good.

nberlat.bsky.social•4 days ago

it would be a lot more convincing to come to people outside the EA community and say, "yes, we recognize that this is not what we want EA to be, we are working to make it better and to fight those who want to use these ideas for evil"

nberlat.bsky.social•4 days ago

rather than saying, "EA is pure and good in all ways so people associated with EA doing wrong aren't us and aren't our fault."

opsimath.bsky.social•4 days ago

Oh, EAs are way too self critical to ever claim that the movement is perfect.

nberlat.bsky.social•4 days ago

it's not like Musk is the only EA eugenics asshole, right? Peter Singer wants to murder disabled people.

nicklowry.bsky.social•3 days ago

I think most EAs would agree with these last two points. But it's like saying "why aren't socialists saying "socialism isn't perfect and we're trying to improve" when being told national socialism is socialism, rather than saying "National Socialism isn't socialism"

nicklowry.bsky.social•4 days ago

"Musk has repeatedly praised EA, and it appears to be an important factor in his ideology."

"Musk has cancelled PEPFAR, an effective altruist intervention"

These 2 do not compute.

Eugenics is not EA, I would challenge you to find a source that says that

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