“Effective altruism is often a maximizing philosophy. Not just “doing good better,” but “the most good you can do.” For many people, myself among them, this philosophy has a natural-feeling corollary: minimize anything non-altruistic in your life. My goal in this post is to convince you that trying to spend as little time as possible on fun socializing, frivolous hobbies, or other leisure is a dangerous impulse. If you notice yourself aiming for the minimumamount of self-care, that’s a sign that you should reorient and prioritize.” –Tessa Alexanian
Balancing Courage and Self-Care in Effective Altruism
How can I balance self-care and impact?
For people with large ambitions to reduce suffering in the world, it can be hard to tell when to take a leap and when to rest.
Join us at Flower Child for a small group discussion as we consider:
How to recognize when it’s time to change priorities
How we can learn from others’ experiences
How, as a community, we can support both bold action and well-being
Optional pre-reads:
“You have more than one goal, and that’s fine” by Julia Wise
“Aiming for the minimum of self-care is dangerous” by Tessa Alexanian
“Where should you focus to have the most impact?” by 80,000 Hours
“Effective altruism is often a maximizing philosophy. Not just “doing good better,” but “the most good you can do.” For many people, myself among them, this philosophy has a natural-feeling corollary: minimize anything non-altruistic in your life. My goal in this post is to convince you that trying to spend as little time as possible on fun socializing, frivolous hobbies, or other leisure is a dangerous impulse. If you notice yourself aiming for the minimum amount of self-care, that’s a sign that you should reorient and prioritize.” –Tessa Alexanian