I don’t think rationalists or Effective Altruists would have been taken in much by the Nazis, but I worry that when it comes to whether we would have supported eugenics, many of us might have failed the test—after all, this was very much scientific and medical orthodoxy at the time.
Why? Before the national socialists were successful in elections they had strong support in universities. At the time in Germany, if you were in the market for an idealistic ideology that you want to self-identify with, national socialism and communism were the strongest options.
I do think that plenty of EA’s join EA to be able to self-identify in a way that convinces them they and other EA’s are morally superior compared to other people.
Why? Before the national socialists were successful in elections they had strong support in universities. At the time in Germany, if you were in the market for an idealistic ideology that you want to self-identify with, national socialism and communism were the strongest options.
I do think that plenty of EA’s join EA to be able to self-identify in a way that convinces them they and other EA’s are morally superior compared to other people.