Intersection of Socialism and Effective Altruism

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The chapter explores the alignment and tensions between socialism and effective altruism, touching on issues such as anti-capitalism, reliance on billionaire philanthropy, and differing approaches to societal change. They discuss alternative economic models, government interventions, and various perspectives within socialism and effective altruism, advocating for a combination of capitalist strengths with better labor protections and welfare programs to improve societal well-being.

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What does effective altruism look like from a leftist / socialist perspective? Are the far left and EA the only groups that take radical egalitarianism seriously? What are some of the points of agreement and disagreement between EA & socialism? Socialists frequently critique the excesses, harms, and failures of capitalism; but what do they have to say about the effectiveness of capitalism to produce wealth, goods, and services? Is socialism just a top-down mirror of capitalism? How difficult is it to mix and match economic tools or systems? Why is the left not more tuned into AI development? What are the three main sides in AI debates right now? Why are there so many disagreements between AI safety and AI ethics groups? What do the incentive structures look like for governments regarding AGI? Should the world create a CERN-like entity to manage and regulate AI research? How should we think about AI research in light of the trend of AI non-profits joining forces with or being subsumed by for-profit corporations? How might for-profit corporations handle existential risks from AI if those risks seem overwhelmingly likely to become reality?

Garrison Lovely is a Brooklyn-based freelance journalist with cover stories in The Nation and Jacobin and long-form work in BBC Future, Vox, Current Affairs, and elsewhere. He has appeared on CBS News Sunday Morning, The Weather Channel, The Majority Report, and SiriusXM. He hosts the podcast The Most Interesting People I Know. His writing has been referenced in publications like The New Yorker (by Ted Chiang), ProPublica, New York Magazine, The New Republic, and GQ. Read his writings on his Substack; learn more about his work at his website, garrisonlovely.com; or email him at tgarrisonlovely@gmail.com.