At least if non-word actions are not much more effective than words, which seems right. Differences to the world you can make without communicating seem limited. And for communication, words seem better. Maybe actions speak louder than words, when they speak. But words do most of the talking, because actions are private and not very intelligible. They are like a really loud mumble to oneself. Words are so much easier to hear that when you know about someone else’s actions, it’s virtually always just because you heard some words about them.
You know what is cheap? Talk.
You know what is expensive? Action.
You know what is cost-effective? Hypocrisy.
At least if non-word actions are not much more effective than words, which seems right. Differences to the world you can make without communicating seem limited. And for communication, words seem better. Maybe actions speak louder than words, when they speak. But words do most of the talking, because actions are private and not very intelligible. They are like a really loud mumble to oneself. Words are so much easier to hear that when you know about someone else’s actions, it’s virtually always just because you heard some words about them.
Does Effective Altruism fundamentally push toward hypocrisy?