Hi everyone, I’m Awang, 43 year old from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
I’m drawn to Effective Altruism because it offers a practical, thoughtful way to tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges. I’m inspired by its commitment to using reason and compassion to make meaningful change, ensuring that every effort is grounded in fairness, transparency, and tangible outcomes.
This year, my experiences working with marginalised communities in Borneo, who still struggle with basic necessities like electricity, clean water, and proper roads, have deeply shaped my perspective.
That reality hit harder when I saw how the three factors of framework of high-impact causes; scale, neglectedness, and tractability, perfectly encapsulate the challenges they face.
For years, I was a silent reader on the EA forum, quietly absorbing ideas as part of my favourite pastime. But it was only after spending time in East Malaysia that their significance truly hit me. Seeing the resilience of these communities while facing systemic neglect made me realise that I have to do more.
It’s remarkable to think that, despite being less than a thousand kilometres apart and divided only by the South China Sea, I could truly understand and feel the depth of empathy only after setting foot in East Malaysia.
We share the same national songs, watch the same TV shows, and belong to the same country, yet the weight of their struggles became tangible to me only now.
I may have gathered some of the information needed to prepare myself for the world’s pressing problems that may come knocking, but for many, the language barrier leaves them unprepared and unaware.
So the question then arises: is ignorance truly bliss, or is it the opposite?
So here I am, possibly late to the party, but finally ready to swap my digital anonymity for a spot in the metaphorical standing room only (or at least the comments section).
Hi everyone, I’m Awang, 43 year old from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
I’m drawn to Effective Altruism because it offers a practical, thoughtful way to tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges. I’m inspired by its commitment to using reason and compassion to make meaningful change, ensuring that every effort is grounded in fairness, transparency, and tangible outcomes.
This year, my experiences working with marginalised communities in Borneo, who still struggle with basic necessities like electricity, clean water, and proper roads, have deeply shaped my perspective.
That reality hit harder when I saw how the three factors of framework of high-impact causes; scale, neglectedness, and tractability, perfectly encapsulate the challenges they face.
For years, I was a silent reader on the EA forum, quietly absorbing ideas as part of my favourite pastime. But it was only after spending time in East Malaysia that their significance truly hit me. Seeing the resilience of these communities while facing systemic neglect made me realise that I have to do more.
It’s remarkable to think that, despite being less than a thousand kilometres apart and divided only by the South China Sea, I could truly understand and feel the depth of empathy only after setting foot in East Malaysia.
We share the same national songs, watch the same TV shows, and belong to the same country, yet the weight of their struggles became tangible to me only now.
I may have gathered some of the information needed to prepare myself for the world’s pressing problems that may come knocking, but for many, the language barrier leaves them unprepared and unaware.
So the question then arises: is ignorance truly bliss, or is it the opposite?
So here I am, possibly late to the party, but finally ready to swap my digital anonymity for a spot in the metaphorical standing room only (or at least the comments section).