Executive summary: Developing a strong sense of self is crucial for effective altruists to avoid burnout and maintain motivation, rather than solely focusing on instrumental goals.
Key points:
The author struggled with creating an independent sense of self separate from their communitarian identity and effective altruist goals.
Effective altruists often view self-care and personal pursuits as merely instrumental to achieving altruistic objectives, leading to mental health issues and burnout.
Valuing the self and the act of self-creation as intrinsically worthwhile is essential for long-term motivation and well-being.
The effective altruism community may have a higher prevalence of mental health issues due to the extreme moral obligation and opportunity costs associated with the movement’s logic.
Engaging with loved ones, personal passions, and inherently meaningful activities is crucial for maintaining a healthy sense of self while pursuing effective altruism.
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Executive summary: Developing a strong sense of self is crucial for effective altruists to avoid burnout and maintain motivation, rather than solely focusing on instrumental goals.
Key points:
The author struggled with creating an independent sense of self separate from their communitarian identity and effective altruist goals.
Effective altruists often view self-care and personal pursuits as merely instrumental to achieving altruistic objectives, leading to mental health issues and burnout.
Valuing the self and the act of self-creation as intrinsically worthwhile is essential for long-term motivation and well-being.
The effective altruism community may have a higher prevalence of mental health issues due to the extreme moral obligation and opportunity costs associated with the movement’s logic.
Engaging with loved ones, personal passions, and inherently meaningful activities is crucial for maintaining a healthy sense of self while pursuing effective altruism.
This comment was auto-generated by the EA Forum Team. Feel free to point out issues with this summary by replying to the comment, and contact us if you have feedback.