But I’m not sure it’s a bad thing for SIAI to be using contest labor.
My point wasn’t that it’s a bad thing for SIAI to do, but that I felt that if SIAI is going to do it, it’s important to discuss the issue from an artist’s perspective as well. Without that discussion, the contest encourages both businesses and artists to participate in contest-labor. And while it may be rational to try and get as much free stuff as possible, it’s not rational to give away free stuff. Less Wrong shouldn’t be encouraging people to do irrational things.
Edit: in case it’s still unclear, I’m talking about Less Wrong encouraging (by omission of a more involved discussion) artists to participate in contests that are NOT charity oriented.
I also think it’s somewhat shaky to encourage people (clients) to do things that are only rational because they make it easy to take advantage of people’s irrationality. I wouldn’t say it’s wrong per se, but it’s something that’s cause me to pause and evaluate the surrounding issues.
My point wasn’t that it’s a bad thing for SIAI to do, but that I felt that if SIAI is going to do it, it’s important to discuss the issue from an artist’s perspective as well. Without that discussion, the contest encourages both businesses and artists to participate in contest-labor. And while it may be rational to try and get as much free stuff as possible, it’s not rational to give away free stuff. Less Wrong shouldn’t be encouraging people to do irrational things.
Edit: in case it’s still unclear, I’m talking about Less Wrong encouraging (by omission of a more involved discussion) artists to participate in contests that are NOT charity oriented.
I also think it’s somewhat shaky to encourage people (clients) to do things that are only rational because they make it easy to take advantage of people’s irrationality. I wouldn’t say it’s wrong per se, but it’s something that’s cause me to pause and evaluate the surrounding issues.