It is fascinating how lots of people seem to genuinely have the mental association "EAs = people who are anti-technology"

Of course it makes sense if 2023 AI stuff is one's first introduction to internet nerd subcultures, but even two years ago that characterization would have seemed completely incomprehensible.

I don’t think EA is anti-tech. It’s just a wealth redistribution scheme where one group of people thinks they know how to best allocate resources by taking resources from other groups.

You can do it with or without tech.

All the discussion of wealth distribution I’ve heard from EA is about one’s personal wealth, but all the criticism I’ve heard of EA sounds like the reactionary “taxes = theft” stuff that seems to show up whenever anyone talks about global risks. 😕

(Note: both sides agree SBF was a criminal)

imho, the criticism might also be that beliefs of efficacy or altruism can be strong enough to bend or overstep what others consider to be personal boundaries. like spending personal wealth on prohibition lobbying for collective good is somehow both civically & epistemically sound.

𝖒𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖆𝖙𝖚𝖒 𝖆𝖉 𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖗𝖆

Yea that's fair. I guess EA hasn't been shy about using money to influence politics.