The local Effective Altruism chapter had a stand at the university hobby fair.

Last time I read their charity guide spam email for student clubs, they were still mostly into the relatively benign end of EA stuff, listing some charities they had deemed most effective by some methodology. My curiosity got the best of me and I went to talk to them. I wanted to find out if they’d started pushing seedier stuff and whether the people at the stand were aware of the dark side of TESCREAL.

They seemed to have gotten into AI risk stuff, which was not surprising. Also, they seemed to be unaware of most of the incidents and critics I referred to, mostly only knowing about the FTX debacle.

They invited me to attend their AI risk discussion event, saying (as TREACLES adjacents always do) that they love hearing criticism and different points of view and so on.

On one hand, EA is not super big here and most of their members and prospectively interested participants are probably not that invested in the movement yet. This could be an opportunity to spread awareness of the dark side of EA and its adjacent movements and maybe prevent some people from falling for the cult stuff.

On the other hand, acting as the spokesman for the opposing case is a big responsibility and the preparation is a lot of work. I’m slightly worried that pushing back at the event might escalate into a public debate or even worse, some kind of Ben Shapiro style affair where I’m DESTROYED with FACTS and LOGIC by some guy with a microphone and a primed audience. Also, dealing with these people is usually just plain exhausting.

So, I’m feeling conflicted and would like some advice from the best possible source: random people on the internet. Do y’all think it’s a good idea to go? Do you think it’s a terrible idea?

  • Soyweiser@awful.systemsEnglish
    8·
    1 year ago

    On the other hand, acting as the spokesman for the opposing case is a big responsibility and the preparation is a lot of work.

    Not just that, but there also is a risk factor involved. Esp as this makes you doxable from here, and there are people who accept the idea that sneerclub is the most evil people around. So be a bit careful. I think David Gerard mostly escapes unscathed (apart from people going after his wikipedia account) but Émile P. Torres (xriskology) has gotten death threats. (I’m just mentioning the things I heard of, might be more). (Timnit Gebru apparently has an online stalker who replies to a lot she says (and keeps ‘they/them’ misgendering her for some weird reason)).

    Anyway more on topic, how EY treated the guy who leaked the emails showing that Scott was way more into NRx than he let on might be a good point to show just how bad the EA-sphere is. (I know LW isn’t EA, and SSC isn’t EA but it is related, and pretending it isn’t is a bit of a motte/bailey).

    E: do note I lean heavily into being more paranoid, so take that into account in your risk assessment.

    • David Gerard@awful.systemsMEnglish
      8·
      1 year ago

      I’ve been hearing about the death threats other crypto critics have gotten and I’m disconcerted I’m not receiving the same. I’ve posted quite enough information on Twitter to work out precisely where my house is! *

      * that it’s in E4, that it’s almost on the 0 degrees Meridian, photos of my back yard. I’m about to move out so i’m happy to say “I gave you all the clues Mr Cultist”