Thanks for sharing this Adam--I really appreciate the problem statement. One concern with your proposed solutions is that networks tend to be very homophilic. I can easily imagine sincere, well-intended use of social networks to leverage trust working well, but also being very homogenous, and open to challenges that they constrain diversity.
Thanks for sharing this Adam--I really appreciate the problem statement. One concern with your proposed solutions is that networks tend to be very homophilic. I can easily imagine sincere, well-intended use of social networks to leverage trust working well, but also being very homogenous, and open to challenges that they constrain diversity.
Agreed. I think the same problems pervade conventional grant funding, but each step is institutionalized so the effects of homophily seem more acceptable––committees picking professors to fund, professors picking grad students to mentor, colleges picking high schoolers to admit, teachers agreeing to recommend students, etc. I don't know of any efforts to mitigate homophily at any of these stages that aren't hackable. One reason I believe in this idea is that if I got to nominate an Agent, I know at least a few people who I think would do the best to overcome their homophilic tendencies that I think anyone could reasonably do––and I expect they know someone who they think could do this too.
Thanks for sharing this Adam--I really appreciate the problem statement. One concern with your proposed solutions is that networks tend to be very homophilic. I can easily imagine sincere, well-intended use of social networks to leverage trust working well, but also being very homogenous, and open to challenges that they constrain diversity.
Agreed. I think the same problems pervade conventional grant funding, but each step is institutionalized so the effects of homophily seem more acceptable––committees picking professors to fund, professors picking grad students to mentor, colleges picking high schoolers to admit, teachers agreeing to recommend students, etc. I don't know of any efforts to mitigate homophily at any of these stages that aren't hackable. One reason I believe in this idea is that if I got to nominate an Agent, I know at least a few people who I think would do the best to overcome their homophilic tendencies that I think anyone could reasonably do––and I expect they know someone who they think could do this too.