Why You Should Start a Rationality Club at Your University

A new article argues that starting a rationality club at your university is a great idea. Rationality clubs are basically weekly reading groups where students get together to discuss interesting ideas from blogs and books. The authors, Carolanne Jiang and Noah Birnbaum, started one at the University of Chicago that became very popular. They say it was fun, low-cost, and helped people make like-minded friends. Several members even went on to work in effective altruism (a movement to do the most good) or AI safety (making sure artificial intelligence benefits humanity).

So why should you care? If you're a student, this could be a way to meet new people, have stimulating conversations, and maybe even discover a career path you hadn't considered. The authors emphasize that you don't need to be an expert or have a big budget. You can start small: just grab a few friends, pick a time and place, choose a reading, and bring some food. Many schools offer funding for club activities, and there are other sources of money available. The article also mentions that there's a call for ACX meetup organizers, which is a similar kind of group, and you can apply by October 9th.

The article addresses a common doubt: some might think that people interested in rationality are already involved in AI safety or effective altruism, so there's no point in starting a club. But the authors disagree. They say there are still many smart, rationalist-minded students who haven't encountered these movements. A club can reach them and get them involved. Plus, college is a time when many people are still figuring out what they want to do, so it's a perfect opportunity to introduce them to important ideas.

In short, starting a rationality club is a low-effort, high-reward activity. It can enrich your college experience, build a community, and potentially contribute to solving some of the world's biggest problems. The authors encourage anyone interested to reach out to them for advice.