All of ajyl's Comments + Replies
Thanks ajyl! I think the biggest takeaway for me is that you can do a bit of storytelling without compromising on rigor / honesty.
- The ITN framework is compelling and appeals to people outside EA.
- Jenna Forsyth's work in Bangladesh really resonated with people. Combining that story with an estimate of 20,000 lives saved seemed to hit home for a lot of folks.
- Comparison is helpful. Lead exposure is estimated to kill 1.5 million people but receives only $15m in funding is compelling to people who can put those numbers in perspective. But lead exposure is estima
An interesting piece, and a good conversation to have. My point below is less about the conclusions regarding the effectiveness of economic growth, and more about a particular section that argues against the role of these interventions in progress.
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In Section 3, under the sub-heading "Economic growth as a driver of progress and the limitations of RD", the case against the RCT-backed interventions currently recommended by GW is laid out as follows:
"we do not believe that the vast majority of RD interventions are plausibly among the top 100 ...
I enjoyed not only the frankness, openness and courage in the post - but also the humour and wit! It genuinely made me chuckle. Thanks for putting it out into the world.