本文探讨了公开慈善捐赠的利弊。作者作为Giving What We Can的倡导者，长期以来主张公开捐赠，并列出了自己与妻子的捐赠记录。文章介绍了GWWC鼓励用户在社交媒体用户名中添加橙色菱形符号（🔸）以表明其承诺的情况，并将其比作象征性的社会信号。然而，作者本人并未在除EA论坛之外的平台上添加该符号，他认为用户名中添加符号会暗示一种他不想传达的信息，例如‘过度依赖网络’或‘紧跟潮流’。他认为用户名应专注于个人身份而非特定议题，并担心在非相关话题的交流中，符号会显得突兀。作者最终决定仅在EA论坛上添加该符号，并鼓励读者发表意见。

🤔 **公开慈善捐赠有助于建立一种鼓励慷慨奉献的文化**，但如果人们将其保密，则难以形成这种规范。

🔸 **GWWC鼓励用户在社交媒体用户名中添加橙色菱形符号（🔸）**，以表明他们已经承诺捐赠一定比例的收入，类似于象征性的社会信号。

👤 **作者认为在用户名中添加符号会传递出不希望传达的信息**，例如过度依赖网络或紧跟潮流，并认为用户名应专注于个人身份而非特定议题。

🗣️ **作者最终决定仅在EA论坛上添加该符号**，因为那里是最相关的平台，他最能理解该符号的含义和感知方式。

🤔 **作者认为公开慈善捐赠的符号化可能会扩展到其他领域**，例如住房、儿童独立性、职业发展等，但并不希望用户名变成符号的集合。

Published on November 7, 2024 8:20 PM GMT

There are so many important efforts to make the world better that aresignificantly limited by funding, and it would be great if we couldhave a culture where significant and thoughtful giving was normal andcommon. It's hard to build that sort of norm if people keep theirgiving private, however, and so I've long beenan advocate of being public about your giving. I list my donations (jointlywith Julia) and have taken Giving What We Can's 10% Pledge (alsojointly with Julia).

In July GWWCsuggested people put the "small orange diamond" symbol (?)in their usernames on social media to show that they've pledged.Here's how the EA Forum describes this on the profile editing page:

This digital symbol reminds me of the physical SymbolicBeads of Raikoth. In an older Scott Alexander post he talkedabout how his fictional society attempted to redirect humanity'snatural competitive status-signaling in a more productive directionthan yachts. The symbol also has something in common with wedding rings,showing that you have taken on a serious commitment. To the extentthat it helps promote a norm of substantial and effective giving, thatseems pretty good!

And yet despite being on the board of GWWC USA I haven't put it in myusername, even on the EA Forum where it would be most relevant. I'mnot sure if this is the right call, but some things pushing me in thisdirection:

Usernames with symbols in them feel like they're signalingsomething I don't want to signal, just by the inclusion of emoji.Something like "I'm a very online person who keeps up with fast-movingdiscourse".

Relatedly, it feels like this is not what the username field isfor. If I'm interacting with someone on some topic unrelated tomy advocacy it feels intrusive and uncooperative to be bringing itinto the conversation.

While effective giving is one thing I would like to see moreof, this is really a large category. I could see including symbolsshowing that I'm an advocate for allowing people to build housing,giving kids more independence, applying your career effectively,increasing immigration, etc. But I don't want tobe"Jeff Kaufman ??????".

For now I've decided I will go ahead and add this to my name on the EAForum where it's most relevant and I most understand how it will beperceived, but I won't add it to my username elsewhere. If you'd liketo try to convince me to do otherwise, please go ahead!

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