EA is a mishmash of ideas and philosophy that's been changing over the past decade through endless pontificating debate, book sales, and billionaire largesse. Sam and his core team were all EAs since the beginning, I don't think it's all that important to ascertain which rationalizations they were using.
Ultimately Sam was admitting that his personal ethics, whatever they may ultimately be, are not what he was espousing. The others involved in the fraud have shown the same.
I don't doubt the sincerity of many in the EA movement, but ultimately it's dependent on and co-opted by a few extremely wealthy individuals. FTX has shown the public that a significant portion of those with power are neither trustworthy nor sincere, and the philosopher-kings of the movement itself are not able or willing to see through the charade.
> I don't doubt the sincerity of many in the EA movement
Insincerity isn't the thing to be worried about. Concentrated utilitarian thinking is itself, to use their terms, an existential risk at least if its combined with significant funding.
My favorite example is that there is a small EA faction that believes-- presumably on the basis of their golden rational analysis, totally unsullied by empirical inputs such as first hand experience-- that wild animals are suffering tremendously and the most efficient way to the reduce total suffering on earth would be to engage in bio-engineering to genocide all the wild animals.
Some greedy capitalist might pollute the earth for gains through indifference, if they speak of charity they might be insincere but mankind is capable of much much worse. Say what you want about non-utilitarian philosophies, but they aren't going to @#$@ rationalize themselves into killing all animal life on earth and sincerely think they're committing the most efficient kindness possible while doing it!
We should regard utilitarianism as an intellectual tool we can use to aid our decisions balanced against other perspectives and considerations and not a uniquely correct philosophy.
Ultimately Sam was admitting that his personal ethics, whatever they may ultimately be, are not what he was espousing. The others involved in the fraud have shown the same.
I don't doubt the sincerity of many in the EA movement, but ultimately it's dependent on and co-opted by a few extremely wealthy individuals. FTX has shown the public that a significant portion of those with power are neither trustworthy nor sincere, and the philosopher-kings of the movement itself are not able or willing to see through the charade.