ex-CEA
Minimally passive community building work in Malaysia
Needs not fulfilled: clarity, authenticity, equality
Associated emotions: confusion, disappointment, anger
Description: “I was drawn to EA because it seemed like an inclusive, compassionate community focused on doing the most good. The messaging talks about being welcoming to everyone, caring for all beings, and solving problems together. I expected something more like a collaborative movement where passionate people work together as equals. Instead, I found a highly stratified system, where only the most credentialed, accomplished, and competent people get funding, platforms, or influence. I feel disappointed. I know EA doesn’t advertise itself as democratic and egalitarian. But the gap between EA's inclusive messaging and its exclusive reality leads to mismatched expectations.”
Needs fulfilled: clarity, authenticity, equality
Associated emotions: trust, satisfaction
Description: "I was drawn to EA because it seemed like a community focused on doing the most good, and I've found that it lives up to its messaging. Whilst EA does have standards and focuses on competence, I've experienced it as genuinely inclusive and welcoming to people from diverse backgrounds who are committed to EA principles. The stratification that exists seems merit-based rather than arbitrary— I've seen many examples of people without impressive credentials being given opportunities, funding, and platforms based on the quality of their ideas and work. I appreciate that EA is honest about being a movement focused on expertise and impact rather than pure egalitarianism, which helps set appropriate expectations. The gap between messaging and reality feels minimal, and I feel like I can trust what EA organisations say about their values and practices."
Needs not fulfilled: effectiveness, equality
Associated emotions: worry, envy, anger
Description: "I'm worried that EA organisations and programmes are systematically selecting the wrong people for important roles. I've noticed concerning patterns where personal connections, shared backgrounds, or ideological alignment appear to matter more than merit or accomplishments. Furthermore, I'm unsure whether they adequately screen for integrity, which is especially crucial for leadership positions. The tendency for EAs to live together in group houses and maintain close personal relationships creates additional conflicts of interest that can compromise objective evaluation. I worry that this creates a self-perpetuating cycle where people are selected based on their similarity to existing influential EAs rather than their ability to effectively create impact."
I'm capturing "vibes" here so this might be confusing...
If you generally feel a lot of happiness for other EAs' advantages, then disagree-vote.
If you feel neutral or conflicted, I would abstain.
If you feel generally more envious, then agree-vote.
Was I able to clarify things?