Uploaded December 2022 | Updated September 2026, 6 hours ago
I talked to Austen Erickson from the Institute for Effective Policy. The IEP is a movement based on the principles of Effective Altruism. They are sponsored by Scott Alexander from Astral Codex Ten (Formerly Slate Star Codex).
Links to the IEP here:
https://instituteforeffectivepolicy.org.au/
We talked about Effective Altruism, how policies are made, and how individuals can help influence politics. Austen also enlightened me on how the IEP influences policies in a bipartisan manner, and works towards outcomes that everyone is happy with.
He also talked about why American politics are so extreme, which explained a lot of reasons behind to culture war to me.
Note that this podcast was recorded before the FTX and Sam Bankman Fried Fiasco.
Books we talk about (affiliate links):
Win Bigly: amzn.to/3h0YVcZ
Pre-Suasion: amzn.to/3HyuaqL
Effective Altruism Books:
The Most Good You Can Do: How Effective Altruism is Changing Ideas about Living Ethically: amzn.to/3VUY3Fx
Doing Good Better: amzn.to/3Bb1zUj
Chapters:
0:00 Intro/ should average people get involved in politics?
2:36 The IEP’s function (policy vs. advocacy)
4:16 the danger of second order effects
13:14 Do we prioritize small groups or the masses? (US sugar tax)
15:36 What is the process of policy advocating?
27:02 Want to do an internship with Austen?
28:50 What is persuasion?
33:52 Why America is so politically extreme
37:55 How to be persuasive!
44:53 Serene critiques Jordan Peterson
50:34 Lack of sleep is worsening the culture war?
52:12 Donald Trump is a genius persuader
56:01 How can the average peron get involved in changing policy?
1:08:28 Should Effective Altruism be harnessing social media?
1:13:01 The vast importance of marginal beneficial shifts in policy
I talked to Austen Erickson from the Institute for Effective Policy. The IEP is a movement based on the principles of Effective Altruism. They are sponsored by Scott Alexander from Astral Codex Ten (Formerly Slate Star Codex).
Links to the IEP here:
https://instituteforeffectivepolicy.org.au/
We talked about Effective Altruism, how policies are made, and how individuals can help influence politics. Austen also enlightened me on how the IEP influences policies in a bipartisan manner, and works towards outcomes that everyone is happy with.
He also talked about why American politics are so extreme, which explained a lot of reasons behind to culture war to me.
Note that this podcast was recorded before the FTX and Sam Bankman Fried Fiasco.
Books we talk about (affiliate links):
Win Bigly: amzn.to/3h0YVcZ
Pre-Suasion: amzn.to/3HyuaqL
Effective Altruism Books:
The Most Good You Can Do: How Effective Altruism is Changing Ideas about Living Ethically: amzn.to/3VUY3Fx
Doing Good Better: amzn.to/3Bb1zUj
Chapters:
0:00 Intro/ should average people get involved in politics?
2:36 The IEP’s function (policy vs. advocacy)
4:16 the danger of second order effects
13:14 Do we prioritize small groups or the masses? (US sugar tax)
15:36 What is the process of policy advocating?
27:02 Want to do an internship with Austen?
28:50 What is persuasion?
33:52 Why America is so politically extreme
37:55 How to be persuasive!
44:53 Serene critiques Jordan Peterson
50:34 Lack of sleep is worsening the culture war?
52:12 Donald Trump is a genius persuader
56:01 How can the average peron get involved in changing policy?
1:08:28 Should Effective Altruism be harnessing social media?
1:13:01 The vast importance of marginal beneficial shifts in policy
