Batman's Real Story • Hacker News Board

Re: Batman's Real Story

#51

Post by Groxx » Thu, Mar 29, 2012, 8:42 PM UTC

philh wrote: post #49

Groxx wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This might be true, but then what would the odds be for 50 years? 100? He may be literally saving a couple lives, but he's enriching and giving hope to a lot more, and they'll remember it. How do you quantify that effect on their life, and how it affects what they do? If 10 of them donate 25k for malaria because he helped them, then the balance is even. If one finds a cure because they're interested in helping people…

I think I would still give 2:1 odds for 50 years, and better than even odds for 100 years. It's possible that what he's doing will have disproportionate knock-on effects. It's also possible (though I think slightly less likely) that the malaria thing would have disproportionate knock-on effects. Also, I think "a couple of lives" is understating it. With $250,000, I would be surprised if you couldn't save 100 lives.

Ah, sorry - the 'couple of lives' was meant to refer to what he was doing now. Hope makes a concrete difference, but it's hard to estimate how much since. With 250k to malaria vaccines, you'd end up saving a lot more.

Re: Batman's Real Story

#52

Post by einarlove » Thu, Mar 29, 2012, 9:37 PM UTC

DEinspanjer wrote: post #32

einarlove wrote: post #16

Would realy love to see a documentary of this Batman. Seems like he would move more people then the Dark Knight.

Not me. I've seen far too much of a tendency in people to wish to pull down the "powerful" or "good" when they become too noticeable. The media seems to embrace this tendency by fishing for the dirt on people to make news. This guy is doing a good thing for these kids. Even this article mentions that he has a checkered past. If he gets too much attention, I would bet money that some reporter is going to write up a se…

After some thoughts I came to the conclusion that I feel the same way as you do. But if the article is correct, it will be hard for the press not to talk about him if he will drive around in a real replica of the batmobile. Cheers

Re: Batman's Real Story

#53

Post by MBlume » Thu, Mar 29, 2012, 11:03 PM UTC

Lockyy wrote: post #29

philh wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1) True. Still, I think I would choose the "malaria" world over the "batmobile" world; and the "malaria" world is probably not optimal. (Remember, he already has a Batmobile. In the "malaria" world I'm assuming he keeps using it.) 2) Research isn't the only thing money can buy. I was thinking mosquito nets. And again, that's probably not optimal.

If every single person who wanted to help out just kept saying "But these people need it more!" Then these kids wouldn't get the morale boosts they so sorely need. People need to do these things. You can't just say "He isn't being efficient enough! Malaria patients need it more!" Because that's just unfair on these kids.

No.

If every single person who wanted to help out looked for the most efficient thing to do on the margin, then there would hardly be any malaria patients. The most efficient opportunities for philanthropy would be exhausted. Then the next most efficient, then the next, and so forth. Maybe eventually we'd get around to giving these kids morale boosts, but if we didn't, it'd be because there were more important things to do.

Re: Batman's Real Story

#54

Post by MBlume » Thu, Mar 29, 2012, 11:16 PM UTC

joelrunyon wrote: post #50

philh wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Absolutely. He's doing way better than "nothing". But you present a false dilemma; it is possible to do some analysis without entering a hyperanalysis spiral of inaction.

Exactly. But by continuing to debate this, we're perpetuating the doing nothing aspect. If you were really concerned about efficiency, you wouldn't be debating this on hacker news. Compassion is not an algorithm to be optimized.

"Compassion is not an algorithm to be optimized."

What, if anything, do you think you mean by this sentence?

Re: Batman's Real Story

#55

Post by Eliezer » Fri, Mar 30, 2012, 12:15 AM UTC

philh wrote: post #34

Eliezer wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

MBlume is right, of course, but I have to ask - Philh, have you donated to any efficient charities / optimal philanthropies?

I've donated a little to SIAI and to Against Malaria Foundation. Probably not as much as I could afford to.

Awesome! Even $10 would have satisfied the intent of the question. It's people who seem to understand the concept but give literally zero that make me want to hit something with a stick.

Re: Batman's Real Story

#56

Post by Eliezer » Fri, Mar 30, 2012, 12:18 AM UTC

scintill76 wrote: post #17

MBlume wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interesting ways to give back should not really be a desideratum. Look for maximally efficient, effective ways of giving back.

Maybe it's impossible to find the "maximally efficient, effective ways", so you should do the interesting ones (i.e., not everyone is doing) that enrich you and make you happy, and have a measurable positive effect on others, like this guy does. With him being well-off, would it be more "maximally efficient" for him to do something else with his money? Maybe, but he wouldn't be making people happy with his black Lamb…

I think the off-the-shelf solution to this is to purchase fuzzies and utilons separately - be Batman if it keeps you going, but maybe also give $10,000/year to efficient charities on the side?

http://lesswrong.com/lw/6z/purchase_fuzzies_and_utilons_sepa...

Re: Batman's Real Story

#57

Post by joelrunyon » Fri, Mar 30, 2012, 5:55 AM UTC

MBlume wrote: post #54

joelrunyon wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly. But by continuing to debate this, we're perpetuating the doing nothing aspect. If you were really concerned about efficiency, you wouldn't be debating this on hacker news. Compassion is not an algorithm to be optimized.

"Compassion is not an algorithm to be optimized." What, if anything, do you think you mean by this sentence?

Compassion isn't always about efficiency. Doing something to make a difference in someone's life isn't always about allocating resources most efficiently.