Thanks for the clear criticism! I do plan to try to write more on exactly where I see people making this and related errors. It’s helpful to know that’s a point on which some readers don’t already share my sense.
I’m not saying that people explicitly state that you ought to be in a state of war against everyone else—I’m instead saying that it’s implied by some other things people in EA often believe. For instance, the idea that it’s good for GiveWell to recommend one set of charities to the public, but advise Good Ventures to fund a different set of charities, because the public isn’t smart enough to go for the real best giving opportunities. Or that you should try to get people to give more by running a matching donations fundraiser. Or that you can and should estimate the value of an intervention by assuming it’s equal to the cost. Or that it’s good to exaggerate the effect of an intervention you like because then more people will give to the best charities.
The thing all these have in common is that they ignore the opportunity cost of assuming control of other people’s actions.
Thanks for the clear criticism! I do plan to try to write more on exactly where I see people making this and related errors. It’s helpful to know that’s a point on which some readers don’t already share my sense.
I’m not saying that people explicitly state that you ought to be in a state of war against everyone else—I’m instead saying that it’s implied by some other things people in EA often believe. For instance, the idea that it’s good for GiveWell to recommend one set of charities to the public, but advise Good Ventures to fund a different set of charities, because the public isn’t smart enough to go for the real best giving opportunities. Or that you should try to get people to give more by running a matching donations fundraiser. Or that you can and should estimate the value of an intervention by assuming it’s equal to the cost. Or that it’s good to exaggerate the effect of an intervention you like because then more people will give to the best charities.
The thing all these have in common is that they ignore the opportunity cost of assuming control of other people’s actions.