I had a conversation with my partner yesterday about how we want to do good better, but at the same time nobody can do 100% and taking care of yourself is important. She described to me a concept that is a simple but important change from how I have understood EA, and I’d like to share it. While I normally thought of doing good better as
devoting more resources toward highly impact efforts
what she described was
using whatever amount of resources you are going to use for good and making sure those resources are having the greatest impact.
This isn’t a huge distinction, but I think that it makes EA feel much less intimidating and much more welcoming; it sets the bar lower. It is true that there are lots of people who devote a larger percentage of their resources toward doing good better, but for people who only feel comfortable with a smaller amount I think this idea is helpful.
Instead of A & B this idea describes EA more as B is important for us (and it is also common to do quite a lot of A).
For me, knowing my giving is effective makes me more confident to give more. Before learning about EA I never considered donating 10% of my income because I never thought it will be so helpful, and I saw charity as something I was sometimes obliged to donate small amounts to.
I look at it this way: EA is about maximising the total amount of good you do over your lifetime. If you can do lots of good right now but it will tear you down—you may not be more impactful overall by doing it.
I had a conversation with my partner yesterday about how we want to do good better, but at the same time nobody can do 100% and taking care of yourself is important. She described to me a concept that is a simple but important change from how I have understood EA, and I’d like to share it. While I normally thought of doing good better as
what she described was
This isn’t a huge distinction, but I think that it makes EA feel much less intimidating and much more welcoming; it sets the bar lower. It is true that there are lots of people who devote a larger percentage of their resources toward doing good better, but for people who only feel comfortable with a smaller amount I think this idea is helpful.
Instead of A & B this idea describes EA more as B is important for us (and it is also common to do quite a lot of A).
For me, knowing my giving is effective makes me more confident to give more. Before learning about EA I never considered donating 10% of my income because I never thought it will be so helpful, and I saw charity as something I was sometimes obliged to donate small amounts to.
I look at it this way: EA is about maximising the total amount of good you do over your lifetime. If you can do lots of good right now but it will tear you down—you may not be more impactful overall by doing it.