A new episode of Global Optimum has been released! Global Optimum is a podcast aimed at making altruists more effective. This episode is about the psychology of social status. The desire for status is a fundamental human motive. Understanding status can help us understand many otherwise puzzling features of our world. In this episode, I apply our understanding of status psychology to analyze various dynamics and trends within effective altruism.

This episode features:

-How do people behave differently when they are high vs low status?

-How did human social status evolve?

-Should you try to dampen your desire for status?

-Are EAs too credential-focused?

-Is publishing in academic journals overrated?

-Can you get more done by working alone than by starting an organization?

-What causes groups to splinter?

-How has effective altruism “professionalized?” What are the upsides and downsides of this trend?

Full transcript

The podcast is available on all podcast apps.

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This was great. Thanks!