Good day everyone!
I just want to preface by saying that I deeply appreciate the work and dedication of everyone in the Effective Altruism movement., it has been inspiring and immensely valuable.
In EA and beyond, I've noticed that a lot of people have innovative ideas and care to think about world issues to begin with, but I don't believe we have as much ability to implement them as we'd like to, do we? Maybe through careers, yes, but I believe there's another sector beyond impactful jobs, that we should pay more attention on: most recent news on (our cause) in the actions being taken by the people in power, and what we know best until this very moment that should work in the most desirable way, so we can work to close that gap. I believe that's essentially how political decisions are made, but yet something still feels missing. Maybe due to corruption or maybe due to their advisors not factoring enough on what's the best for the cause, I'm unsure.
Perhaps there is something I've missed that's already done here, if so, do let me know and I apologize.
To be fair, Effective Altruism has been one of(if not the only) organization I've seen that has a designated forum for public discussion. That's been the most frustrating thing with other organizations, when the only way you could help a cause is through subscribing their newsletter and donating. Good news is that I noticed Climate Action Network (CAN) is in the works of(beta) what looks to be a similar effort!: https://climatenetwork.org/members-center/ "An internal platform for all of CAN’s 1800+ member organizations around the world to connect with each other and the CAN International Secretariat, share ideas, check for network announcements, upcoming activities and collaborate in our work to build power and action in the climate emergency." Although if I'm not mistaken this is only for workers of those organizations in their network, and not the public that I'm wanting to talk about in this post.
Therefore, I'd like to inquire:
Has anyone managed to figure out how we could propel forward our ideas, to reach policy changes and/or implementation/regulation of them, in regards to our own cause prioritizations? Or if not that, just anything in terms of implementation and coordination of efforts in all organizations that's working per cause. Is this something we could maybe focus more on EA, together? Big focus on (our cause's) news + being in touch with experts + adding on our own ideas = together working in coalition to reach policies and go at it with all our might to make potentially possible changes!
Why this gives me hope
Enhanced Coordination:
By centralizing efforts of all action being done in a cause(even beyond EA), we can avoid duplication and ensure that our time and resources are used efficiently. This can lead to more significant and sustained impact.
Broadening Participation:
A platform focused on action can attract and engage people who are eager to contribute but may not feel as comfortable in purely discussion-based settings. For a lot of people that isn't initially interested in EA, knowing there is something they can do, could really open this place up for more people that would do a lot because they care, but are just overwhelmed and thought they had to put it in the hands of our politicians and just give up. I think there is something to be said in giving people hope this way.
Uncertainties and Questions
Feasibility and Effectiveness:
Is creating such a platform possible, and would it indeed enhance our current efforts?
Integration with EA:
How can this platform complement the EA Forum + other existing initiatives (UN bodies, WWF, etc.) without duplicating efforts?
Community Management:
How can we ensure the platform remains constructive and inclusive, while also being effective in coordinating actions? I understand the need to have educated and well-experienced people on the frontlines of a particular cause, but I deeply wish those who aren't could have serious conversations and contribute too. I feel there might be a way to keep the place efficient from people not wanting to have serious and actionable conversations, at a given time(but I'd be wary of not excluding anyone). Please do share your views on this.
Our next steps
I’m eager to hear your thoughts, ideas, and constructive criticisms on this proposal. Do you believe this centralized action platform could work? If so, how can we best integrate it with our existing efforts in the EA community? If not, why not and what do you recommend instead to drive our efforts even further?
Thank you for your time and dedication.
Sincerely,
Alisha Anasthasius
(Art in preview image painted by Robert McCall. According to the him, the mural represents the "flow of civilized man from the past into the present and toward the future." I thought it's beautiful and it said adding a preview image is a good idea, haha.)