From there, Bregman builds a compelling case for privileged individuals to leave their âbullshit jobsâ and tackle the worldâs most pressing challenges. He weaves together narratives spanning historical movements like abolitionism, suffrage, and civil rights through to contemporary initiatives such as Against Malaria Foundation, Charity Entrepreneurship, LEEP, and the Shrimp Welfare Project.
I have not read the book. However, it is unclear to me whether privileged individuals should leave their jobs to increase their social impact via direct work. Earning to give can be pretty powerful, and peopleâs âbullshit jobsâ may have significantly higher earnings. I also think the most cost-effective organisations in areas related to effective altruism are way more cost-effective than the median one. I would say the best animal welfare organisations are at least 100 times as cost-effective as the best in global health and development and AI safety[1]. So I believe optimising for donating more to the best animal welfare organisations can very easily be better than transioning to a career in global health and development or AI safety.
I estimate cage-free campaigns are 462 times as cost-effective as GiveWellâs top charities, and that the Shrimp Welfare Project has been 64.3 k times as cost-effective as GiveWellâs top charities.
I just want to say thank you for highlighting this Vasco!
I am a big fan of SMA but my largest concern is their quit your job tag line. Firstly, I can only speak for the animal advocacy space but there are a very limited number of high impact roles for people to pivot intoâŚ. secondly, if itâs in the non profit world they are directing them too it will take some time to pivot (so try to not be unemployed first) thirdly, many of these people are in great companies where they could potentially do much more if they were activated or ETG.
Anecdotally Iâve had a handful of people come from them asking for career advise who had quit their job and tbh my first thought is can you get your job backâŚ.
Firstly, I can only speak for the animal advocacy space but there are a very limited number of high impact roles for people to pivot intoâŚ
I think this applies more broadly. Overwhelmingly based on data about global health and development interventions, Benjamin Todd concludes âitâs defensible to say that the best of all interventions in an area are about 10 times more effective than the mean, and perhaps as much as 100 timesâ. If so, and jobs are uniformly distributed across interventions, a person in a random job within an area donating 10 % of their gross salary to the best interventions in the area can have 1 (= 0.1*10) to 10 (= 0.1*100) times as much impact from donations as from their direct work. In reality, there will be more jobs in less cost-effective interventions, as the best interventions only account for a small fraction of the overall funding. Based on Benjaminâs numbers, if there are 10 times as many people in jobs as cost-effective as a random one as in the best jobs, a person in a random job within an area donating 10 % of their gross salary to the best interventions in the area would be 10 (= 1*10) to 100 (= 10*10) times as impactful as a person with the same job not donating.
Yeah theyâre definitely not (currently) promoting E2G. In fact, IIRC, the chapter that explicitly discusses EA is quite negative about E2G-flavoured EA (primarily because of FTX).
Bregman is still listed as an ambassador for Doneer Effectief. He used to be heavily involved in the Tien Procent Club, but thatâs no longer the case. Of course, youâre likely aware of the GWWC video he participated in. But these are all things that happened in the past.
As for SMA, the only thing theyâve done regarding EG was their collaboration with Doneer Effectief, us, and the Tien Procent Club for the recent sponsored walk. That was quite a big event, and several SMA staff members attended, but SMA didnât make a particularly large contribution. I donât think theyâll be involved this year. Beyond that, I donât believe they engage with EG at allâthough perhaps that will change.
Regarding the book, frustratingly, I canât find my copy at the moment. The only part I recall is the section I mentioned previously on the Forum. That said, I hesitate to say itâs the only reference, as I might simply be more attuned to remembering the negatives.
EDIT: I forgot something! SMA did a podcast episode with the Director of Doneer Effectief, Bram. And whilst googling for that I came across this edition of their newsletter, which talks about EG.
None of the organizations are mentioned in the book, except for a footnote about GWWC. However, Rob Mather and AMF get a whole chapter, which includes fundraising for bednets.
Thanks for sharing, Patrick.
I have not read the book. However, it is unclear to me whether privileged individuals should leave their jobs to increase their social impact via direct work. Earning to give can be pretty powerful, and peopleâs âbullshit jobsâ may have significantly higher earnings. I also think the most cost-effective organisations in areas related to effective altruism are way more cost-effective than the median one. I would say the best animal welfare organisations are at least 100 times as cost-effective as the best in global health and development and AI safety[1]. So I believe optimising for donating more to the best animal welfare organisations can very easily be better than transioning to a career in global health and development or AI safety.
I estimate cage-free campaigns are 462 times as cost-effective as GiveWellâs top charities, and that the Shrimp Welfare Project has been 64.3 k times as cost-effective as GiveWellâs top charities.
I just want to say thank you for highlighting this Vasco!
I am a big fan of SMA but my largest concern is their quit your job tag line. Firstly, I can only speak for the animal advocacy space but there are a very limited number of high impact roles for people to pivot intoâŚ. secondly, if itâs in the non profit world they are directing them too it will take some time to pivot (so try to not be unemployed first) thirdly, many of these people are in great companies where they could potentially do much more if they were activated or ETG.
Anecdotally Iâve had a handful of people come from them asking for career advise who had quit their job and tbh my first thought is can you get your job backâŚ.
Thanks, Lauren!
I think this applies more broadly. Overwhelmingly based on data about global health and development interventions, Benjamin Todd concludes âitâs defensible to say that the best of all interventions in an area are about 10 times more effective than the mean, and perhaps as much as 100 timesâ. If so, and jobs are uniformly distributed across interventions, a person in a random job within an area donating 10 % of their gross salary to the best interventions in the area can have 1 (= 0.1*10) to 10 (= 0.1*100) times as much impact from donations as from their direct work. In reality, there will be more jobs in less cost-effective interventions, as the best interventions only account for a small fraction of the overall funding. Based on Benjaminâs numbers, if there are 10 times as many people in jobs as cost-effective as a random one as in the best jobs, a person in a random job within an area donating 10 % of their gross salary to the best interventions in the area would be 10 (= 1*10) to 100 (= 10*10) times as impactful as a person with the same job not donating.
Yeah theyâre definitely not (currently) promoting E2G. In fact, IIRC, the chapter that explicitly discusses EA is quite negative about E2G-flavoured EA (primarily because of FTX).
Do they mention effective giving or collaborate with Doneer Effectief/âthe Tien Procent Club?
Bregman is still listed as an ambassador for Doneer Effectief. He used to be heavily involved in the Tien Procent Club, but thatâs no longer the case. Of course, youâre likely aware of the GWWC video he participated in. But these are all things that happened in the past.
As for SMA, the only thing theyâve done regarding EG was their collaboration with Doneer Effectief, us, and the Tien Procent Club for the recent sponsored walk. That was quite a big event, and several SMA staff members attended, but SMA didnât make a particularly large contribution. I donât think theyâll be involved this year. Beyond that, I donât believe they engage with EG at allâthough perhaps that will change.
Regarding the book, frustratingly, I canât find my copy at the moment. The only part I recall is the section I mentioned previously on the Forum. That said, I hesitate to say itâs the only reference, as I might simply be more attuned to remembering the negatives.
EDIT: I forgot something! SMA did a podcast episode with the Director of Doneer Effectief, Bram. And whilst googling for that I came across this edition of their newsletter, which talks about EG.
None of the organizations are mentioned in the book, except for a footnote about GWWC. However, Rob Mather and AMF get a whole chapter, which includes fundraising for bednets.