Motivation gaps: Why so much EA criticism is hostile and lazy — EA Forum
forum.effectivealtruism.org
Disclaimer: While I criticize several EA critics in this article, I am myself on the EA-skeptical side of things (especially on AI risk). …

includes considerable nonspecific shit-talking of assigned EA enemies, including - horrors! - Timnit Gebru talking about the social issues of the actually-existing AI-industrial complex. also it’s not a CASTLE it’s a MANOR HOUSE, you fools, you rubes,

  • swlabr@awful.systemsEnglish
    22·
    8 months ago

    The problem with this type of criticism is that for the most part it’s usually pretty lazy. If you just want to make people laugh, there’s no need to be charitable or high-effort. The average r/sneerclub post consisted of finding something seemingly absurd or offensive said by a rationalist and then mocking it. The resulting threads are obviously biased and not epistemically rigorous. Like, Wytham abbey was technically a manor house, but “EA gets a castle” is objectively a funnier meme. There are sometimes good arguments in there (I think my old sneerclub posts weren’t terrible), but they’re not the point of the community, and you shouldn’t expect them to be common.

    @titotal@awful.systems hey I spend whole minutes crafting sneers, how dare ya call me lazy!

    • David Gerard@awful.systemsOPMEnglish
      28·
      8 months ago

      also its COMPLETELY WRONG to say that they blew millions in charitable donations on buying a castle. they blew millions in charitable donations on buying two castles

          • David Gerard@awful.systemsOPMEnglish
            15·
            8 months ago

            it was a different EA org

            a mere tumbledown cottage in a sleepy czech village!

            (literally the news story calls it a “castle” in czech)

            but let me correct myself: it’s COMPLETELY WRONG to say that they blew millions in charitable donations of money stolen from FTX customers on buying a castle. they blew millions in charitable donations of money stolen from FTX customers on two castles

    • Soyweiser@awful.systemsEnglish
      26·
      8 months ago

      The average r/sneerclub post consisted of finding something seemingly absurd or offensive said by a rationalist and then mocking it. The resulting threads are obviously biased and not epistemically rigorous.

      This is correct

      Like, Wytham abbey was technically a manor house

      Lol, ‘technically it was a manor house not a castle’ come on, you cannot just complain about how low effort sc is and then post something as silly as that.

      Wait, was this bait? Have I been baited?

    • sc_griffith@awful.systemsEnglish
      21·
      8 months ago

      “Wytham abbey was technically a manor house” is objectively even funnier than “EA gets a castle”

      • V0ldek@awful.systemsEnglish
        19·
        8 months ago

        Gotta start disclaiming our sneers

        THE SNEER is provided AS IS in the hope that it will be funny,
but WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
including but not limited to the warranties of MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, and NONINFRINGEMENT.
In NO EVENT shall the authors or commenters be liable FOR ANY CLAIM,
DAMAGES or OTHER LIABILITY, arising from, out of or in connection
with THE SNEER or the reading or commenting on THE SNEER.
        • flizzo@awful.systemsEnglish
          10·
          8 months ago

          If you or your loved ones have been exposed to the knowledge of dust specks, you may be entitled to compensation in a future simulation.