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Lumifer comments on Open Thread, April 27-May 4, 2014 - Less Wrong Discussion

0 Post author: NancyLebovitz 27 April 2014 08:34PM

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Comment author: [deleted] 02 May 2014 06:26:58AM *  1 point [-]

The Swiss folks may have done that. But I think the major organizations, like GiveWell, Giving What We Can, and 80,000 Hours, are focused on apolitical causes like global health, if you judge from their lists of recommended charities.

Also I don't think there's any getting around taking a position on mainstream political issues to optimally benefit society. Statistically your income is more influenced by which society you happen to be born in than anything you do. If you believe Acemoglu and Robinson, it's the institutions that matter for economic growth.

At the Community Weekend in Berlin Jonas spoke about EA movement building and how one is

Huh?

I think that largely depends on your skill set.

It might. (Thank you for giving a data point.) I find myself drawn toward the earning to give route since then you can use your salary to kinda measure impact. You could measure too with seeking political office although that's not my cup of tea. But with political activism I don't really see how.

Comment author: Lumifer 02 May 2014 02:26:04PM 1 point [-]

Also I don't think there's any getting around taking a position on mainstream political issues to optimally benefit society.

Mainstream political issues are often about what does "optimally benefit society" mean.