This is a crosspost from the new Animal Welfare Alignment Newsletter by Anima International. You can subscribe on Substack if you are interested in following these efforts. Audio reading also available on Substack.
The goals of this post are to:
1. Raise a question I see as crucially important to the goal of aligning AI to animal welfare...
Hello! I'm Justin Portela. I got hired by GWWC to make YouTube videos after AI in Context did such a kickass job.
My channel is using that same cinematic, high-production value beauty to talk about everything in the EA universe that isn't AI.
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This is a linkpost for Request for Proposals: Research and Applied Work on Digital Minds.
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Culture against EA?
I was born and raised in an Asian metropolitan city, historically capitalistic. I have decided to write and contest the economy-driven model in my city where people are the means to an end - a robust economy, my question is what such a goal is for then if the people put pleasure over any consideration for the people in other places who are suffering? People seem to fail to acknowledge that the world is one village, so would a government choose to assist a country in crisis even if this requires knowledge transfer or financial assistance? I see a government that puts politics above people and I cannot do anything but choose what I believe - just only few pieces of wisdom I found useful in my entire life up to this point in time. Individuals can choose to be altruistic themselves and choose a country of similar values, or will they be able to change an entire culture (mine that is collective and meat-loving)? This is a topic open for discussion- what do you think people can do in a society that is capitalist and internally collective to be altruistic? How to deal with traditions that go against EA values in your family and society?
This is indeed a thought-provoking question.
While I'm not an economics expert, my perspective leans towards the idea that capitalism, at its core, is driven by profits. However, what becomes crucial is how organizations, essentially run by people, choose to utilize those profits. Take Patagonia, for instance, which allocates 98% of its profits to address climate change and protect underdeveloped land. It highlights that the impact on society is more about the decisions made by the people within the system rather than inherent flaws in the system itself. Unfortunately, the system has been flawed from the beginning, and money, rather than being a tool for positive change, is often wielded as a weapon.
Addressing cultural traditions that may clash with Effective Altruism (EA) values, I'm relatively new to EA, but I find it aligns well with the practice of tithing in the SDA church. I'm intrigued by your mention of cultural traditions that go against Effective Altruism (EA) values. Could you provide more details on specific traditions you have in mind? I've encountered challenges in aligning with other EA causes, particularly those related to animals, given my everyday experiences, like literally seeing chickens crossing the road all the time. It's a reminder that life's complexities vary for everyone. Nevertheless, what I appreciate about EA is its accountability, allowing me to ensure that my financial contributions are making a positive impact. Importantly, EA doesn't restrict how one chooses to allocate money and resources. In the end, 'Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver' - 2 Corithians 9:7.
Thanks for your clarifying question. In my city, people tend to value meat consumption - often as a culture related to god worshipping but no one ever questions why. In my city Hong Kong, waste goes to landfills and we are way behind other developed economies in measures such as recycling mainly because of a dense population. My perspective on politics go above the city onto a global level. Comparatively we are a wealthy city BUT the gap between the rich and the poor is big. In this Chinese culture, wealth accumulation is an honour that we keep wealth to ourselves, even at the expense of our fellows when it comes to business. During Chinese New Year, adults give money to children but they will never promote EA values like how to use money for global public goods. It is a culture that values individual achievement. I wonder how much time it takes to embed EA values into ours, or it is exclusive to those who were educated aboard since it is from the West. After all, EA is good in nature but may be confronted by political incentives - e.g., the conflicts between China and the West. BUT EA is not bound by countries.