I think that people shouldn’t donate at least 10% of their income if they think that doing so interferes with the best way for them to do good, but I don’t think that the current pledge or FAQ supports breaking it for that reason.
Coming to the conclusion that donating >=10% of one’s income is not the best way to do good does not seem like a normal interpretation of “serious unforeseen circumstances”.
A version of the pledge that I would be more interested in would be one that’s largely the same, but has a clause to the effect that I can stop donating if I stop thinking that it’s the best way to do good, and have engaged with people in good faith in coming to that decision.
I’m sympathetic to this, and didn’t fulfill the pledge for several years early in CEA when we paid ourselves very little (initially only £15k pa!). However, I’m now fulfilling it and intend to make up the years when I didn’t.
I think that people shouldn’t donate at least 10% of their income if they think that doing so interferes with the best way for them to do good, but I don’t think that the current pledge or FAQ supports breaking it for that reason.
Coming to the conclusion that donating >=10% of one’s income is not the best way to do good does not seem like a normal interpretation of “serious unforeseen circumstances”.
A version of the pledge that I would be more interested in would be one that’s largely the same, but has a clause to the effect that I can stop donating if I stop thinking that it’s the best way to do good, and have engaged with people in good faith in coming to that decision.
I’m sympathetic to this, and didn’t fulfill the pledge for several years early in CEA when we paid ourselves very little (initially only £15k pa!). However, I’m now fulfilling it and intend to make up the years when I didn’t.