What interests me most is the tension between EA's technocratic incrementalism and development realities. The preference for "wonky, technical policies" often assumes good implementation will follow good design, but I've seen well-designed interventions fail without broader political support.
True, though I think the behind the scenes approach has its limits too. Policy still needs to be sold and implemented by people who face the public.
Even if EAs stay in wonky roles, someone eventually has to translate those ideas into something voters actually care about.