I like this! But, you know, publishing it on the internet doesn’t exactly make it secret. On the other hand, keeping secrets is difficult anyway, especially in large groups.
These gestures suppose that people already know (or at least suspect) that the other one is a part of their group. So perhaps there should also be some kind of “passive” sign; one that allows you to notice that a stranger in a crowd of strangers is likely a member of your group (and then you approach them and proceed with the gesture). Something like esperantists wearing a green star.
Another “passive” sign that might work could be the humble white chess knight piece. In this case, it symbolizes the concept of a white knight coming to help and save others, but also because it is chess, it implies a depth of strategic, rational thinking. So for instance, an Effective Altruist might leave a white chess knight piece on their desk, and anyone familiar with what it represents could strike up a conversation about it.
It’s doubtful that if this were to gain that much traction (which it honestly doesn’t look like it will) that the secret could be kept for particularly long anyway.
I’m not really sure what would make a good passive sign to indicate Effective Altruism. One assumes that things like the way we talk and show cooperative rational attitudes might be a reasonable giveaway for the more observant.
We could borrow the idea of colours, and wear something that is conspicuously, say, silver, because silver is representative of knights in shining armour or something like that, but I don’t know if this wouldn’t turn into a fad or trend rather than a serious signal.
I like this! But, you know, publishing it on the internet doesn’t exactly make it secret. On the other hand, keeping secrets is difficult anyway, especially in large groups.
These gestures suppose that people already know (or at least suspect) that the other one is a part of their group. So perhaps there should also be some kind of “passive” sign; one that allows you to notice that a stranger in a crowd of strangers is likely a member of your group (and then you approach them and proceed with the gesture). Something like esperantists wearing a green star.
Another “passive” sign that might work could be the humble white chess knight piece. In this case, it symbolizes the concept of a white knight coming to help and save others, but also because it is chess, it implies a depth of strategic, rational thinking. So for instance, an Effective Altruist might leave a white chess knight piece on their desk, and anyone familiar with what it represents could strike up a conversation about it.
Illuminati conspiranoids are so going to freak over this.
It’s doubtful that if this were to gain that much traction (which it honestly doesn’t look like it will) that the secret could be kept for particularly long anyway.
I’m not really sure what would make a good passive sign to indicate Effective Altruism. One assumes that things like the way we talk and show cooperative rational attitudes might be a reasonable giveaway for the more observant.
We could borrow the idea of colours, and wear something that is conspicuously, say, silver, because silver is representative of knights in shining armour or something like that, but I don’t know if this wouldn’t turn into a fad or trend rather than a serious signal.