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Punoxysm comments on What is the most anti-altruistic way to spend a million dollars? - Less Wrong Discussion

-4 Post author: Punoxysm 24 March 2014 09:50PM

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Comment author: Punoxysm 24 March 2014 11:22:57PM *  0 points [-]

I think this is reasonable. I think my "not illegal" requirement should be stopping the really nefarious proposals, but evidently people here are darker than I thought (or think they are).

On the other hand, it makes it more concrete and takes on a more realistic issue of what ways people actuall spend their money are most harmful.

But remember, this is about marginal impact. 1 million to an anti-euthanasia group probably doesn't really affect policy a lot. And we haven't really even seen self-driving cars being resisted in earnest (they aren't near ready for prime-time yet, and their benefits are largely dependent on a large fraction of drivers adopting them).

Comment author: shminux 25 March 2014 12:08:21AM 0 points [-]

Those are only examples, but

1 million to an anti-euthanasia group probably doesn't really affect policy a lot.

It can certainly tip the balance for a given state legislation or a ballot, such as the one in Maine.

And we haven't really even seen self-driving cars being resisted in earnest

Lobbying to shift funding away from NHTSA would be invisible.