A descendant of missionary Hiram Bingham reviews his ancestor's memoir about bringing Christianity and Western civilization to Hawaii in the 1820s-1840s, drawing parallels to modern Effective Altruism and examining what lessons today's do-gooders can learn from this earlier generation of world-savers. Longer summary

This book review examines Hiram Bingham's 1847 memoir about his 21-year mission to Hawaii, drawing explicit parallels between 19th-century missionaries and modern Effective Altruists. The reviewer, Bingham's descendant, describes how seven missionary couples successfully converted most of Hawaii to Christianity, created a writing system, achieved widespread literacy, and introduced Western technology and social reforms. However, Bingham's anti-Catholic political meddling eventually backfired when a French warship forced Hawaii to accept religious freedom and other demands. The review concludes with lessons for modern do-gooders: act with courage, be a moral exemplar, make powerful allies, critically examine your beliefs, and avoid escalating conflicts beyond your control. Shorter summary

Scott argues that social psychology is often misused in political discourse, presenting counterintuitive claims to demonstrate how easily it can be manipulated to support various agendas. Longer summary

This post critiques the use of social psychology in political discourse, arguing that it's often misused to support preexisting beliefs. Scott presents six counterintuitive social psychology claims that oppose common narratives, such as media violence preventing crime and fighting stereotypes increasing prejudice. He argues these claims, while not definitively proven, are as plausible as their more commonly accepted opposites. The post highlights the dangers of using speculative social psychology to justify social engineering, emphasizing that poorly replicated short-term studies can prove almost anything. Scott concludes by advocating for caution and subtlety when applying social psychology findings to social policy. Shorter summary